Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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I am coming from the perspective that the market is shrinking significantly in the State. We have higher interest rates than other European countries. Banks are closing in regional towns. There are obviously online elements and the market is shifting to a certain extent but there is enormous supplier power. Anyone who studies economics will say that if there are two or three really large players within a sector, they have enormous supplier power, especially if they are dealing with a buyer section that is so small and disparate and which has very little influence. Ideally, if one were to build a banking market, one would have far more players with less supplier power and therefore, the consumer would have more influence over the transactions and engagements with the banks.

Mr. Blažek raised the issue of competition. That is important. When Deputy Mairéad Farrell was speaking to him, he said that one needs a certain critical mass of customers to be able to pay for the bank's overheads and therefore be profitable. Will Mr. Blažek detail that further?