Terence Flanagan
Ceist:81. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the number availing of legal and illegal moneylenders over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39745/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 16 October 2014
Ceisteanna (81)
Freagraí scríofa
I have been advised by the Central Bank that it does not regularly publish figures in relation to customers of legal moneylenders.
However, in its Report on the Licensed Moneylending Industry published in November 2013, the Bank said that customer numbers have increased from approximately 300,000 in 2005 to around 360,000 at present and outstanding loan amounts are in the region of €200 million. This report is available on the Central Bank's website at http://www.centralbank.ie/regulation/processes/consumer-protection-code/compliance-monitoring/Documents/Report%20on%20the%20Licensed%20Moneylending%20Industry%20November%202013j.pdf.
Neither I nor the Central Bank has any role in relation to the regulation of illegal moneylending and the Central Bank has informed me that it reports any such suspicions to the Gardaí. Illegal money lending is a criminal offence and a matter for An Garda Síochána to investigate. Just as my colleague the Minister of State at the Department of Finance did in the House last week, I would strongly encourage every Deputy to ask that anybody who has information about the operation of unlicensed moneylenders makes it available to the Garda Síochána, whose duty it is to enforce the law in this area.
Questions Nos. 82 and 83 answered with Question No. 76.