Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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152. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 111, 112 and 115 of 15 February 2017, the up-to-date information available other than the 2013 data provided in regard to the number of licensed moneylenders; the number of customers; the value of loans outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9466/17]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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According to the Register on the Central Bank website (), the total number of licensed Moneylenders is currently 39.

The Central Bank has not undertaken any further empirical research into the money lending sector in Ireland since the publication of the 2013 Report on the Licensed Money lending Industry. The 2013 Report showed that there were around 360,000 customers of licensed moneylenders with outstanding loan amounts in the region of €200 million at that time. These data were provided in the previous replies as they were the most recent published information and were collected for a specific report and correct at an identifiable point in time.

However, information available to the Central Bank arising from its supervisory engagements with moneylenders who renewed their licence in 2016 shows that these figures have reduced to around 335,600 and €153 million respectively. However, it is important to note that this information was gathered at the point in time that each firm renews its licence. Firms renew time licences at different times throughout the year, so therefore the figures cannot be said to be correct for a particular point in time (i.e. they are not year end figures) The Deputy may also be aware that the Central Bank published its Consumer Protection Outlook Report on 15 February. This sets out its consumer protection priorities for 2017 and states that the Bank is planning to review the Consumer Protection Code for Licensed Moneylenders to determine if the existing protections need to be enhanced.