Elaine Byrne: A sorry state of affairs

Culture is part of Ireland's problem when it comes to making banks accountable for tracker mortgages

The first thing Thomas Ryan did when he appeared before the Oireachtas committee on finance last Thursday was apologise.

The Wexford man went on to outline how Permanent TSB changed the tracker rate on his mortgage in 2009, despite a legal contract to the contrary. He rang the bank’s helpline. There was a case review, an internal complaints procedure, a Financial Services Ombudsman process and ultimately a High Court action. Eight years after ...