DARKNESS still hung over Government buildings yesterday morning as the Government emerged from the meeting they hoped would prevent a bad dream from turning into a nightmare.

IRISH lenders are tightening the qualifying criteria for 100% mortgages — as some of Britain’s largest lenders begin to withdraw completely.

A CRACKDOWN on legal credit loans sharks charging customers excessively high interest rates was signalled last night by social and family affairs minister Seamus Brennan.

THE country’s taxpayers paid €15.1 million over four years for banks to carry out money transfers under the protection of the defence forces.

IRISH banks wring three times more profit from their customers than other banks in Europe.

Permanent TSB bank has opened 40,000 new current accounts since the start of the year.

THE Financial Regulator faces opposition to plans for strict requirements for individuals who are to become directors of financial services companies.

LASER cardholders will be able to wriggle out of paying the annual €20 stamp duty on their cards from next year, thanks to a loophole in new rules governing the controversial tax.

A NEW system making it easier for small businesses to switch between banks will be in place early next year, the Irish Bankers’ Federation (IBF) said yesterday.

AROUND 23,000 people have dumped their bank to take advantage of Permanent TSB’s free banking offer since it was launched earlier this year, the bank said yesterday.

Evelyn Ring

Bank customers are realising they do not have to pay charges, says DAVID CLERKIN.

CREDIT CARD users looking to switch banks face a fresh obstacle from next week, thanks to new government measures to monitor payment of the controversial €40 stamp duty on cards.

PERMANENT TSB says it has been the biggest beneficiary from the opening up of the current account market.

By David Clerkin

ULSTER BANK, AIB and Bank of Ireland have been blacklisted in a new survey of bank charges by the financial services watchdog.

BANK charges and customer service levels will come under greater scrutiny from today as new rules take effect that aim to make it easier for customers to switch between banks.

THE financial services watchdog is to monitor if banks smoothly facilitate customers who want to switch personal accounts to another institution.

CREDIT CARD holders could cash in on a price war after Bank of Scotland announced yesterday it was entering the market.

THE massive increase in the level of credit card debt in the past three years has fuelled fears tens of thousands of people face crippling bills.

PENSION schemes that guarantee a percentage of employees’ final salaries will soon die out without a change to Irish pension laws, a leading academic has warned.

BANK of Scotland Irish boss Mark Duffy has reacted angrily to the assault on the company by the Irish Bankers Federation and others in the banking sector.

THE failure of banks to pass on European interest rate cuts has cost consumers €1 billion in extra interest charges, the Oireachtas Finance Committee heard yesterday.

THE planned introduction by 2005 of an embedded security chip in credit cards will be a turning point in the battle against stolen and counterfeit cards, a banking chief said yesterday.

A BANK official who survived three terrifying armed raids has revealed the trauma staff endure during and after such incidents.

CONSUMER organisations have raised doubts over claims by the Irish Bankers’ Federation that the cost of banking in Ireland is competitive by European standards.

BANK officials have been called to appear before a Dáil committee amid claims of a sharp rise in the number of raids.

BANKS have warned consumers to be vigilant when using their credit cards this Christmas.

BORROWERS may not get the full benefit of the 0.5% cut in interest rates announced by the European Central Bank.

FEARS that consumers will bear the brunt the €300 million levy imposed on the banks was one of the hot post-Budget topics yesterday.

THE Competition Authority is to probe excessive fees and uncompetitive practices in the Irish banking sector.