Results 7,561-7,580 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I join with the Chairman on these particular issues. I welcome our guests and thank them for coming before the committee. What did it cost NatWest or Ulster Bank to close down? There was a cost, I assume.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I am not so sure about that, Chairman. It would be helpful to us, so the question stands. There had to be a cost to either NatWest or Ulster Bank. Who funded it and what was it? That is one question. Second, there was obviously a cost to customers due to disruption of service, closure, trying to meet deadlines and so on and so forth. Third, we all heard about the time we were encouraged...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: They will.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: When will that issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I can only tell Ms Howard that is not happening.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: All right.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Customers would have no objection to that at all, in order to assist in a speedy and efficient transfer, but again it does not always work that way. New requests for further information have the habit of resurrecting from time to time. Deputy Doherty raised overdrafts. Some customers have traditionally had overdrafts for years, that they have or have not used as the case may be. As I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: There is obviously an end in sight with this issue. There is a difference in the interest rate charged in that some replacement banks receiving the accounts say "sorry, we do not do overdrafts but we will give you a credit card". What they do not say immediately is that credit card will cost you 15%, 17%, 21% or whatever the case may be. The customer has no choice in the matter. It is not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I speak with some authority on that whole area------

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: -----and I can assure Ms Howard that is happening. It should not happen and I realise it should not but there is a positive for the incoming bank if the customer is moved from an overdraft at 2.5%, 3% or whatever it was to suddenly one of almost 20% and rising. I therefore ask that be borne in mind and that perhaps in the exchanges the officials have with the receiving banks, they would be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: And the closing statements relating to each account.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: The Chairman will be delighted with this one. I like this one. This is an interesting one. It is where the account does not close despite an indication that it has done so. There was some little tail-end left hanging in the wilderness still outstanding. It could be anything. The customer presumes the account is closed and walks off about his or her business, suddenly to get a bill for a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Ms Howard has a complaint now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: The same applies to KBC Bank. Are provisions being made in a similar fashion to avoid penalties on the unsuspecting customer, particularly longstanding older customers who may not have the time, energy or interest to follow the daily activities of the banking system?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: That is in favour of whom - the customer or the bank?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I worry about that. There is a feeling we get from time to time that some things get forgotten. Is that a possibility?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Yes. I welcome our guests and thank them for their contribution to the legislation. I am in two minds as to its effectiveness. We have to go back to the original provisions of the legislation, the constitutional provisions and the legislation as published. It was intended to address the issue whereby a service was available to women who wished to seek that service, at their discretion,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: How are we endeavouring to encourage the availability of the service to women who may need to avail of it at short notice? For instance, you cannot take three or four weeks to make up your mind and there are a number of people who by virtue of conscience do not offer the service. The services that are proposed, legislated for and were the subject of a referendum are very strongly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 Oct 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I will finish with this. In such circumstances, the person has a right to seek assistance quickly and privately and does not have to tell anybody what his or her intention is. It is a private matter and we must respect that.