Seanad debates

Thursday, 27 March 2003

Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill 2002: Second Stage.

 

The Central Bank's traditional role has been to keep the banks in business and ensure competition. I agree with that objective, but we are now expecting the Central Bank to make life difficult for the commercial banks by taking the customer's part against them. I have some experience in this area because I was involved in unsuccessful efforts a few years ago to establish a bank, to compete through supermarkets, with other banks. The initiative involved the amalgamation of financial services between my company and TSB. It was a great attempt to encourage competition, but it did not succeed. Some people felt we never should have become involved in the sector in the first instance.

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