Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 26 September 2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach

Banking Sector in Ireland (Resumed): Allied Irish Banks

4:00 pm

Mr. Bernard Byrne:

The proposition is a different proposition, so the overall cost of the proposition needs to be balanced, whereas with the AIB offer we are putting all of our firepower into levelling rates across the system. We have not announced anything with regard to EBS at this point in time but, consistent with the announcement on the previous occasion, there will be a staggering of the release of announcements on price reductions. An announcement may well come soon in respect of EBS, but right now it has not changed. We have a switching offer, which covers the cost of switching, and we will operate with any customers to move to the AIB brand from EBS, or any other bank, if they wish, to facilitate them moving. The standard variable rate is available. We must, according to the regulatory standards, re-underwrite any reissuings of credit. We cannot simply move somebody over immediately as we must re-underwrite. For customers who have effectively demonstrated their ability to pay, it is a process where we cover the cost of any transition. There is a process people must go through, but we are very open to people moving if that is what they wish to do.