Bank of Ireland and AIB carve-up plans 'could be blocked by competition watchdog'

KBC's decision this spring to follow Ulster Bank and quit the banking market in the Republic had shocked politicians and experts, who say that Bank of Ireland and AIB will further increase their grip and disadvantage customers here

Bank of Ireland at Dunmanway, West Cork

Plans by Bank of Ireland (BoI) and AIB to carve out billions of euro in mortgage and corporate loans from rival lenders KBC and Ulster Bank could likely be scuppered by the State's competition watchdog, a leading Irish law expert has predicted. 

Ronan Dunne, partner and head of EU and competition law at Philip Lee, told the Irish Examiner it won't be plain sailing for the plans Bank of Ireland first unveiled in April to take almost €9bn worth of mainly mortgage loans from KBC as the Belgian banking giant tries to quit banking altogether in the Republic.