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Central Bank of Ireland Investigations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2015

Wednesday, 27 May 2015

Ceisteanna (55)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

55. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the total fines imposed by the Central Bank of Ireland on financial institutions since 2011; and if he will provide details of each fine. [20895/15]

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Freagraí scríofa

Part IIIC of the Central Bank Act 1942, as amended, provides the Central Bank of Ireland with the power to impose sanctions in respect of the commission of a prescribed contravention by regulated financial service providers and by persons concerned in the management of a regulated financial service provider. 

Since the commencement of the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013, the Central Bank may impose a monetary penalty upon a body corporate or an unincorporated body of the greater of €10,000,000 or an amount equal to 10 per cent of the turnover of a firm. In relation to breaches that arose prior to the commencement of the 2013 Act, the maximum penalty that the Central Bank could impose on a firm was €5,000,000.  The 2013 Act also allowed for the doubling of the maximum administrative sanction to €1,000,000 for a natural person.

The Central Bank's Strategic Plan 2013 - 2015 sets out a strategy of assertive risk-based supervision underpinned by a credible threat of enforcement. Enforcement is an important tool to effect deterrence, achieve compliance and promote positive behaviour. The Central Bank will take enforcement action against regulated entities under its Probability Risk and Impact SysteM (PRISM) supervisory model.

I have been informed by the Central Bank that since 2011 a total of €27,168,565 in fines has been imposed. A total of 54 cases have been taken during this period in which fines were imposed. Details of each case are available on the Central Bank website. The Central Bank has provided my Department with the following summary table.

2011

-

Settlements

9

Monetary Sanctions

€5,050,000

No.

Case

Issue

Monetary Sanctions

Date of Publication

1

Scotiabank (Ireland) Limited

Regulation 16 of the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 and section 10 of the Central Bank Act 1971

€600,000

02/06/2011

2

MBNA Europe Bank Limited

Breaches of regulatory requirements contained in the Consumer Protection Code - This case involved the application of interest to credit card accounts in error resulting in customers being overcharged a total of €16,997,321.49. All affected customers were remediated by the Firm with appropriate interest

€750,000

21/06/2011

3

Aviva Investors Ireland Limited

Breaches of regulatory requirements contained in the Client Asset Requirements

€30,000

20/07/2011

4

Pan Index Limited

Regulations 76 and 94 of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007

€40,000

25/08/2011

5

Goldman Sachs Bank (Europe) plc

Regulation 16(3) of the

European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations

€160,000

08/09/2011

6

McSharry & Foley (Sligo) Limited

Consumer Protection Code and the Handbook for Authorised Advisors - This case involved, inter alia, issues regarding the application of charges to rebate amounts due to customers and the application of fees in excess of the maximum fees advised on the Firm's Terms of Business document. Refunds with appropriate interest were made to all affected customers.

€10,000

24/10/2011

7

J & E Davy t/a Davy

Regulations 112 and 33(1)(a) of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007

€50,000

08/12/2011

8

Susquehanna International Securities Limited

Regulations 112 and 33(1)(a) of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007

€60,000

13/12/2011

 

9

Combined Insurance Company of Europe Limited

Various breaches of the Consumer Protection Code (2006) - This case involved, inter alia, issues regarding the suitability of products sold to customers, the behaviour of tied agents and contingency selling. A substantial remediation programme was put in place that refunded an estimated €2,150,744 in respect of approximately 7,917 policies

€3,350,000

16/12/2011

2012

-

Settlements

16

Monetary Sanctions

€8,492,900 

 

No

Case

Issue

Monetary Sanctions

Date of Publication

1

Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland Limited

Consumer Protection Code of 1 August 2006

€245,000

07/03/2012

2

Aviva Health Insurance Ireland Limited

Consumer Protection Code of 1 August 2006

€245,000

09/03/2012

3

Merrion Stockbrokers Limited

Regulations 112 and 33(1)(a) of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007

€65,000

21/03/2012

4

Hitachi Capital Insurance Europe Limited

Section 24(1) of the Insurance Act 1989 (as amended)

€25,000

27/03/2012

5

Alico Life International Limited

Various breaches of the Insurance Act 1989, as amended ("the Act") and the European Communities (Life Assurance) Framework Regulations 1994, as amended

€3,200,000

29/03/2012

6

UBS International Life Limited

Various breaches of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010

€65,000

19/06/2012

7

Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank

Section 31(3) of the Asset Covered Securities Act 2001 (as amended) and Regulation 16 of the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 (as amended)

€120,000

02/10/2012

8

Irish Mortgage Corporation t/a Moneyzone

The Consumer Protection Code (2006)(the "Code") and the Minimum Competency Requirements (July 2006)

€65,000

24/10/2012

9

Maurice Buckley t/a Maurice Buckley Insurance Investment Services

European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005 (as amended)

€800

24/10/2012

10

Gerard Geraghty t/a Geraghty & Co.

European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005 (as amended)

€1,100

25/10/2012

11

Ulster Bank Ireland Limited

Requirements for the Management of Liquidity Risk (June 2009) and the European Communities (Capital Adequacy of Credit Institutions) Regulations 2006

€1,960,000

14/11/2012

12

ICON plc

2009 Market Abuse Rules

€10,000

21/11/2012

13

Dolmen Stockbrokers Limited

Regulation 13(1) of the Market Abuse Regulations 2005

€20,000

12/12/2012

14

Community Credit Union Limited

Various breaches of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010

€21,000

13/12/2012

15

Aviva Insurance Europe SE

Regulation 10(3) of the European Communities (Life Assurance) Framework Regulations 1994

€1,225,000

17/12/2012

16

Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland Limited

Regulation 10(3) of the European Communities (Life Assurance) Framework Regulations 1994

€1,225,000

17/12/2012

2013

-

Settlements

16

Monetary Sanctions

€6,348,215

  

No

Case

Issue

Monetary Sanctions

Date of Publication

1

MacDonagh Boland Crotty MacRedmond Limited t/a Aon MacDonagh Boland

Breaches of the Handbook for Authorised Advisors and the Consumer Protection Code (2006) - This case involved breaches related to the failure to transfer premium rebates, the deduction of fees from premium rebates and the failure to ensure the repayment of premium overpayments. All affected customers were repaid by the Firm with interest.

€65,000

22/01/2013

2

C&C Group plc

Breaches of the insider list requirements of the Market Abuse (Directive 2003/6/EC) Regulations 2005 (as amended) and the Market Abuse Rules issued by the Central Bank in February 2006 and September 2008

€90,000

01/02/2013

3

Quinn Insurance Limited (Under Administration)

Breaches of article 10(3) and article 13(1)(b) of the European Communities (Non-Life Insurance) Framework Regulations 1994, as amended

€5,000,000*

18/02/2013

4

John D. O'Connor t/a John D. O'Connor Financial Services

Breach of the European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005 (as amended)

€1,100

06/03/2013

5

Susquehanna International Securities Limited

Breaches of Regulations 112 and 33(1)(a) of the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007

€78,000

25/06/2013

6

Smyths Insurance Brokers Limited and Raymond Smyth

Breaches of regulatory requirements contained in the Consumer Protection Code

€12,000

10/09/2013

7

Oxendale & Co Limited

Breach of the Consumer Protection Code for Licensed Moneylenders

€8,000

18/09/2013

8

AXA MPS Financial Limited

Breaches of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing) Act 2010

€50,000

08/10/2013

9

MOD Financial Services Limited

Breach of the European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005

€420

22/11/2013

10

Ryan Motor Power Limited

Breach of the European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005.

€1,000

22/11/2013

11

Stephen Redmond t/a SJ Redmond & Associates

Breach of the European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005

€520

22/11/2013

12

Rocklands Financial Limited

Breach of the European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005

€650

22/11/2013

13

P Walpole & Sons Limited t/a Central Motors

Breach of the European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005

€525

22/11/2013

14

John Campbell t/a Campbell Financial Services

Breach of the European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005

€1,000

22/11/2013

15

CitiBank Europe plc

Contraventions of the Central Bank's Requirements for the Management of Liquidity Risk and the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 395 of 1992)

€550,000

11/12/2013

16

Allied Irish Banks plc

Contraventions of the Central Bank's Requirements for the Management of Liquidity Risk and the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 395 of 1992)

€490,000

17/12/2013

 

 

 

 

*In relation to the Quinn Insurance Limited case, the Central Bank considered that the contraventions committed by the firm merited the maximum monetary penalty that can be levied by the Central Bank on a regulated financial services provider, namely €5 million in this case. However, the firm was under administration and was entirely reliant on funding from the Insurance Compensation Fund. In these wholly exceptional circumstances, the Central Bank decided to waive the monetary penalty in its entirety in the public interest.

2014

-

Settlements

11

Monetary Sanctions

€5,422,450

No

Case

Issue

Monetary Sanctions

Date of Publication

1

Provident Personal Credit Limited trading as Provident

Breaches of Section 99 of the Consumer Credit Act, 1995 in relation to the provision of "top-up" loans being used to pay off previous loans.

€105,000

01/12/2014

2

Ulster Bank Ireland Limited

Breach of Regulation 16 of the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 (S.I. No. 395 of 1992)

€3,500,000

12/11/2014

3

 Seamus McGrath t/a Seamus McGrath Financial Services

Failure to hold the required level of PII cover under Regulation 17 of the IMR.

€900

17/10/2014

4

 E. Tarrant & Sons (Car Sales) Limited

Failure to hold the required level of PII cover under Regulation 17 of the IMR.

 

€910

16/10/2014

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bank of Montreal Ireland plc

Breach of Credit Institutions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 661/2006) (as amended) (the "2006 Regulations") and of the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 395/1992) (the "1992 Regulations").

€650,000

 

29/05/2014

6

Squared Financial Services Limited

Breach of the European Communities (Capital Adequacy of Credit Institutions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 661 of 2006) (the "Capital Adequacy Regulations") and the European Communities (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 60 of 2007) (the "MiFID Regulations").

€100,000

21/05/2014

7

FBD Insurance plc

Breaches of regulatory requirements contained in the Consumer Protection Code 2006.

€490,000

 

08/05/2014

8

LGT Capital Partners (Ireland) Limited

Breach of Regulation 16 & 18 of the EC (Capital Adequacy of Investment Firms) Regulations 2006 & Regulation 33 (1)(f) of EC (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007

 

€95,000

 

31/03/2014

9

Anthony Henneberry t/a Anthony Henneberry Financial Services

Contravention of Regulation 17(1) of the European Communities (Insurance Mediation) Regulations 2005 (IMR)

€640

14/03/2014

10

UniCredit Bank Ireland plc

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breaches of the Large Exposure rules contained in the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD 2006/48/EC as amended).  

€315,000

13/03/2014

11

Ava Capital Markets Limited

Breach of Regulation 112 of Markets in Financial Instruments Regulations 2007 (MiFID) - transaction reporting requirements

€165,000

06/03/2014

 

2015

-

Settlements

2

Monetary Sanctions

€1,855,000

 

No

Case

Issue

Monetary Sanctions

Date of Publication

1

Mr Tadgh Gunnell (PCM Bloxham Stockbrokers)

Breach of Regulation 9 & 16 of the EC (Capital Adequacy of Investment Firms)Regulations SI 660 of 2006 in failing to maintain minimum regulatory capital. Failure to submit correct information in the COREPs and FINREPS.

€105,000**

21/05/2015

2

Western Union Payment Services Ireland Limited

Breaches of Section 54 (1) and (2) of the Criminal Justice Act 2010 (6 separate contraventions in relation to failures to have robust policies and procedures with respect to a) Outsourcing, b) CDD record retention, c) IT Systems to monitor and identify suspicious activity and d) Training on AML/CTF). Breach of Section 54 (6) of the Criminal Justice Act 2010 (initial and follow on training of agents) and Breach of Section 55 of the Criminal Justice Act 2010 (Failure to retain copies of documents used to verify identity).

€1,750,000

19/05/2015

**In relation to the Mr Tadgh Gunnell case, the Central Bank considered that the actions of Mr Gunnell also merited a monetary penalty of €105,000.00 being imposed on him. However on the basis that Mr Gunnell was adjudicated bankrupt by the High Court on 26 January 2015, this monetary penalty was waived.

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