Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)

I wish to raise again the issue of bank repossession of property, which issue arose last night on "Ear to the Ground". I saw most but not all of that programme and I was disappointed that the information provided was not complete. The position is that a bank can repossess property, mainly machinery, following the completion of the legal process if one third of the payments have been made to purchase the property in question. When a court judgment is handed down, a bank can apply for it to be enforced by the only individual, the county sheriff, empowered to enforce it. The impression given on the programme to which I refer was that a bank can just tell anyone to repossess equipment on its behalf.

I raised this issue on a previous occasion and I wrote directly to the Governor of the Central Bank and the Ministers for justice and finance in respect of it. I am not satisfied with the practice whereby the banks are continuing to interpret the law to their own ends. What they are doing is not right. Would it be possible at the earliest opportunity to try to bring more pressure to bear upon those institutions of the State which have an input in respect of this illegal practice on the part of the banks? It is most disappointing that a programme aired on RTE last night did not provide full and accurate information.