Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On a different issue from the one that has been raised this afternoon, I raise the matter of how the banking sector, in particular KBC Bank, is behaving. It has come to my attention that where legal representatives have entered into correspondence in a legal capacity on behalf of their clients who have fallen into arrears, the banks will not enter into discussions, even though there is a clear record of a request that the legal representative be involved. Will the Leader make the position known to the Minister for Finance that the banks are obliged to co-operate not only with the customers but their legal representatives? It is a disgrace that a legal representative, who has sent a written authority from their client authorising them to discuss the arrears with the bank in March, still cannot meet with the bank three months later. It is disgraceful that a bank is behaving in that manner. Will the Leader bring this to the attention of the Minister for Finance? I will certainly be writing to the Minister.