John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I have a minute left. Ms McEvoy was talking about consumer protection. I correct her on the following issue every time. It is impossible to deal with Start Mortgages. Customers find it impossible, as do I as a third party. One cannot get through to the company on the phone. There are issues and concerns it will not address. The word "abhorrent" was used with regard to KBC. The other side won a court case against the bank. It was to pay out on that basis but still has not done so. It just refuses to pay. Deputy Doherty will be aware of a particular case regarding Bank of Ireland. It was specifically mentioned in correspondence that an individual had a tracker mortgage but the bank has refused to acknowledge this. It has conducted internal investigations. The way the banks are handling issues is bizarre and they are getting away with it.

Deputy Doherty raised the issue of evictions and repossessions. How many repossessions have occurred over the past while? How many occurred during the pandemic? People continue to be brought to court and dragged all over the place, even at Christmastime, with regard to their mortgages. It seems that no one is intervening. Deputy Doherty put the letter on record and he was right to do so. What legal practice or bank in its right mind would tell people to be out by 21 December? Somebody, perhaps the consumer protection unit, should intervene. I will say it again; the protections do not travel with the loan or with the customer.

That just does not happen. In the cases I have come across, of which there have been quite a few, Deputies Durkan and Doherty have been at pains to point out at every meeting that this does not happen. Usually, it applies to those who are not well heeled with lawyers. In the case of lay litigants, who may have a damn good argument, the bank just kicks them around the place, showing them no respect whatsoever. We have to find somewhere we can turn. I apologise for ending the meeting abruptly but I am obliged to conclude it because we have reached 3.30 p.m. As Chairman, I will write to our guests because the matter in question has been raised during the meeting. I will put the various questions to them and allow them to respond in writing with the details of what they have outlined during the meeting.