Financial Services Sector

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 September 2012

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Ceisteanna (60)

Michael McGrath

Ceist:

60. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide details for each of the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012, of the amount of credit extended by licensed moneylenders to consumers; the number of licensed moneylenders; the rate of levy applied by the Central Bank of Ireland and the total amount collected; the number of licensed moneylenders who have had their licence revoked by the Central Bank following an investigation; and if he will provide any other information or statistics that would give a complete picture of the licensed moneylending activity in Ireland. [40952/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Finance

I have been advised by the Central Bank that it does not publish a figure for the total value of credit extended, in any given year, by licensed moneylenders. The following table sets out the other information requested by the Deputy for each of the years mentioned.

Year	Number of licensed moneylenders	Amount levied by the Central Bank	Amount of levy collected
2007	48	€187,000	€187,000
2008	40	€162,000	€151,000
2009	52	€244,000	€239,000
2010	52	€298,000	€255,000
2011	46	€352,000	€342,000
2012	48	€300,000	Not yet available

The Central Bank has also advised me that this is a relatively small sector involving a small number of new applications, refusals of licences and withdrawals each year. The Bank has further advised that it does not divulge information regarding the number of moneylenders who have had their licences revoked as to do so could affect the sensitive nature of the industry/regulatory landscape.