Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In what other area of life could an institution deliberately mislead its customers or clients? In what area could it calculatingly and deliberately mislead those who it promised to offer the best possible and friendliest service, a service it promised would be a reliable one in which the product offered would be the best one suited to their requirements? As in the scandals in insurance and tracker mortgages, the statements and promises seem to have been built on sand. In addition, the banks that are directly to blame for the tracker mortgage scandals are metaphorically sending in the heavies when dealing with innocent clients they effectively scammed. Instead of showing shame and contrition they are strong-arming families. They are doing everything possible to prevent tracker mortgage holders getting proper redress and compensation. Through their lies and scams the banks have destroyed lives, families and communities. If the lies and scams of a person from Ballymun, Glasnevin, Finglas, Santry or Whitehall caused families to lose their homes, they would be down on them like a tonne of bricks. If someone from one of those areas blatantly stole money in the same arrogant and contemptuous way the banks did from their customers, they would soon find themselves before the courts being held accountable for their actions. It is no wonder the bankers display such arrogance and contempt for their clients and the Central Bank. They are not answerable for their actions. There is no sanction against the lies and the scams. This legislation will wipe the smiles form their faces. It will make them accountable for their actions, like any other citizen. It will right an anomaly that has allowed banks to feel invincible before the law. It will make bankers equal before the law just like any other citizen who engages in criminal actions. The message must be clear that white collar crime does not pay and will be vigorously pursued like any other crime. No one is above the law.

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