John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not questioning a bank's legal right to enforce any agreement but it must operate within the law. The banks and financial institutions must realise that we now operate in a civilised State. We suggest that representatives of these institutions should only go to premises during working hours and there should be no early morning raids or movement in the dead of night, which is happening now. There should be no "rough house" tactics, violence or any other form of intimidation against the persons or families involved.

This issue was raised last December by Mr. Seán Kelly, MEP, a member of the Minister of State's party, in Strasbourg. He referred to farmyard raids in isolated areas in the dead of night, when enforcers were frightening the living daylights out of people, ignoring all protocol, threatening people and doing enormous damage while using foul language and physicality. It is not just us who have raised the matter, which has been ongoing for some time.

Every visit by representatives of banks to people being acted against should have a Garda presence. If there is a Garda presence, these people would not be able to operate outside the law and the banks would benefit far more. I have been told this farmer was continuing to make payments to the best of his ability and there was no need for these tactics or the repossession of the tractor as a result.

See this speech in context