Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 December 2010
184 Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance in the context of the programme of external assistance negotiated with the EU-International Monetary Fund, the way it is envisaged that the Irish banks are to be weaned off the European Central Bank’s emergency liquidity assistance, and how the sovereign is to redeem debt as it matures over the 2011-2014 period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48066/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther deleveraging of the banks is required under the financial sector reforms set out in the Programme of Financial Support and there are a variety of ways in which the banks may be deleveraged. Both AIB and BOI will significantly reduce their loan books by transferring their remaining land and development books to NAMA. For operational reasons it was previously agreed to hold loans below the €20m threshold in the banks and not transfer them to NAMA. However my Department is now preparing legislation to underpin the transfer and management of these loans which would avoid many of those operational issues and would align the interests of the participating institutions with those of NAMA in terms of maximising realisation of value. Other forms of deleveraging could involve the sale or securitisation of loan portfolios, divisions or subsidiaries. Such transactions could be supported by appropriate credit enhancement mechanisms, which will help secure a progressive and balanced reduction in bank size consistent with the prudent drawdown of resources from the Contingent Capital Facility. In addition, the Central Bank will complete a Prudential Liquidity Assessment Plan (PLAR) for 2011 setting out measures to achieve a steady deleveraging and to bring about a reduction in the reliance of the banks on Central Bank funding by the end of the programme period.
