Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael)
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26. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of vacant houses in the possession of banks that receive State assistance; if he will provide this list to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8783/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that the banks disclose information on their residential mortgage portfolios in various sections in their Annual Reports.

All relevant disclosures in relation to AIB's Republic of Ireland residential mortgages properties in possession and repossessions disposed of - are contained on page 109 of AIB's 2015 Annual Financial Report.  AIB state that "AIB seeks to avoid repossession through working with customers, but where agreement cannot be reached, AIB proceeds to repossession of the property or the appointment of a receiver, using external agents to realise the maximum value as soon as is practicable." The annual report is available in the following link:

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Bank of Ireland disclose information on properties in possession and repossessions disposed of for their Retail Ireland Mortgage portfolio on page 370 of their annual report. A link to the 2015 Bank of Ireland report is available here:

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Permanent TSB ("PTSB") have informed me that all information in relation to properties in possession and repossessions is available on page 177 of the 2015 Annual Report.  PTSB state that "Repossessed assets are sold as soon as practicable, with proceeds offset directly against outstanding indebtedness." PTSB's  Annual Report is available at the following link:

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However for the benefit of the Deputy I include a table summarising some of these details:

Properties in possession at end 2015 (ROI)

Source: Annual Reports 

As the Deputy may be aware the Relationship Framework agreements define the arm's-length nature of the relationship between the State and the banks in which the State has an investment, and as such each bank is individually responsible for managing their stock of repossessed properties. As noted in the annual reports cited repossessed properties are offered for sale by the banks using external agents as soon as practicable.