James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy McGrath for bringing forward this motion and for his determination in this area. The latest tracker mortgages scandal exposed shocking abuses in the banking sector but few are surprised. The banks all acted against the consumer at the same time and in the same manner. It was clearly not a coincidence but systematic, systemic and designed to stigmatise customers. The Government has until now adopted a hands-off approach and it is inexcusable. The Central Bank and the Department of Finance have been aware of the banks' behaviour over a number of years, yet only chose to act after the finance committee gave them no choice. The Government has on occasion suggested it is merely a cultural issue but when one deliberately and wrongly takes someone else's money without his or her consent, it is not a cultural issue, it is simply theft.

The banks' reckless and calculated behaviour has endangered lives and caused huge distress to families in Wexford and across the country. I have dealt with constituents who have suffered suicidal ideation as a result of the relentless pressure they have been put under. Up to 30,000 customers have been affected by this. That is 30,000 families and potentially well over 100,000 people. The banks did what they liked while they waged psychological warfare on their victims who were their customers. With this in mind, more needs to be done to help those who have experienced mental ill-health as a result of the actions of financial institutions. In 2011, the Mental Health Commission produced a report entitled The Human Cost. It recommended that financial institution staff receive training on dealing with vulnerable customers. On numerous occasions I asked the Minister for Finance about the implementation of the Mental Health Commission's report. The Minister consistently answered that it was none of his responsibility and consistently refused to give an answer. According to the HSE's national office of suicide prevention, a day-long programme was provided in June 2013 but fast forward four years and there is little sign of any progress. I ask the Minister to ensure it will now become mandatory for the recommendations from the Mental Health Commission to be imposed and that those working at the higher level of financial institutions be given training on how to deal with vulnerable customers.

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