Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that banks are more likely to lend to a purchaser of a property held by a bank than to a purchaser of a non-bank owned property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27367/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The decision on whether or not to grant individual mortgages remains a commercial decision for each individual lending institution and, as Minister for Finance, I have no function in such decisions. This is outlined in the Relationship Frameworks with the banks which provide that the State will not intervene in the day-to-day operations of the banks or their management decisions, including with respect to pricing and lending decisions. These frameworks are published on my Department's website at http://banking.finance.gov.ie. Mortgage lending must be undertaken on a commercially sustainable and prudential basis by lending institutions and conform fully with regulatory requirements both in relation to the financial institution itself and also the safeguarding of the consumer's interest. It is important in that context that each lending institution is allowed to assess independently the individual risks in granting mortgage finance.