Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform
Bank Charges: Discussion with Central Bank and ISME
3:30 pm
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
Could Mr. Fielding respond to that point? The testimony we have heard from Mr. Fielding is that this is not a small matter or a matter that is being exaggerated. There have been increases of between 29% and 250% in foreign exchange charges. Nobody could describe that as small. There has been an increase of 23% in electronic funds transfer charges. It was suggested that transaction charges are going up from 6.5% to 8%. At a time when particularly small and medium enterprises and ordinary citizens can least afford to absorb increases, we are looking at what are pretty dramatic increases by any standards. Mr. Sheridan is effectively telling us that his hands are effectively tied because of legislation introduced in 1996. Does he not consider that a very serious matter for the economy?