Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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113. To ask the Minister for Finance the meetings he or officials of his Department have had with representatives of advocacy groups on behalf of distressed mortgage holders, and persons whose mortgages have been, or may be, sold to third parties in each of the years 2013 to 2016 to date; the meetings in which he was personally in attendance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17804/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that as part of our remit on tackling the issue of mortgage arrears and consumer protection issues my officials and I regularly meet with relevant stakeholders. Based on a reasonable search of the material available in my Department in respect of meetings held with the main consumer advocacy groups, the following list sets out the meetings held. 

These meetings do not include informal discussions in the margins of other events/engagements.

In this context the Deputy may wish to note that the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 provides for the establishment and maintenance of a publicly accessible register of lobbying. The purpose of the register is to make information available to the public on the identity of those communicating with Designated Public Officials. 

Meetings with Representatives of advocacy groups on behalf of distressed mortgage holders and persons whose mortgages have been or may be sold to third parties:

2013

Meeting with Brendan Burgess

Meeting with Brendan Burgess and Seamus Coffey

2014

Meeting with David Hall Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation (IMHO).

Meeting with Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC)

2015

3 Meetings with StepChange Debt Charity

Meeting with David Hall Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation (IMHO).

Meeting with Brendan Burgess on mortgage arrears

Meeting with Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC)

Meeting with Brendan Burgess and Fair Mortgage Rate Campaign (Minister for Finance attended)

Meeting with Brendan Burgess, Karl Deeter and Seamus Coffey on mortgage arrears 

Meeting with Phoenix Group (meeting hosted by Department of Taoiseach)

2016

Meeting with Brendan Burgess, Karl Deeter and Seamus Coffey.

The Deputy should also note that Carr Communications were selected in autumn 2015, following a public procurement exercise, to co-ordinate communications on the state services and supports available to borrowers in mortgage arrears.  As part of this work, Carr Communications met with a wide range of stakeholders including advocacy groups for borrowers in distress.