Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There has been and there is concern about the gap between the European Central Bank rate and the standard variable mortgage rate. Some of us have been questioning AIB, Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland at the recent hearings of the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform. We should state honestly that there are four component parts. AIB has indicated strongly that it will provide for a decrease in the near future. In light of the switching that would be likely to take place in such circumstances, do Senators believe that Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland would fail to follow AIB in that regard? In fairness to both of them, they did not state firmly at the 2 p.m. and 4.15 p.m. sessions of yesterday's meeting of the joint committee that there would not be any change - they said they would keep the matter under review and would monitor it. I have no doubt that we will see changes there very quickly.