Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The office considers appeal cases and 45% of them are not sanctioned. What are the main reasons for the office to agree with a bank in such cases? Would poor applications be an issue? When the office recommends that a bank reconsiders a case, does it give advice to an applicant to do a business plan again or include more information? Is there an advisory role in this respect? I have stated on previous occasions that the office may have a role even earlier in the process, before potential applicants seek a loan, to give advice on how to complete forms in the first place. When the office makes a decision, what happens? Does an application revert to the bank as it is or are changes made to the application before the bank makes a decision?

Some of the bank representatives came before Oireachtas committees. Some of them indicated that a number of reviewed or appealed cases which subsequently saw loans granted later saw the debtor defaulting on debts. Does the office monitor such issues or does it have any idea of those figures? Indications were given here which more or less gave the impression that a high percentage of appealed cases later saw defaults. I believe it was approximately 20%.