Minister had agreed loans over tax arrears

Minister of State for Small Business John Perry told Danske Bank in Jan 2012 that Bank of Ireland had agreed to give him a 10-year loan to help him address tax arrears of about €100,000, according to Danske’s minutes of meetings held with Mr Perry over loan repayment arrears.

Mr Perry also told Danske that AIB had agreed to give him an 11-year loan to pay €125,000 to other creditors and his other lenders had agreed to continue facilities on an interest-only basis, the minutes state.

At another meeting of Jan 31, 2013, after the bank indicated it would issue a demand and seek judgment or a receiver if satisfactory proposals were not provided by Mr Perry, he had expressed shock at the bank’s “aggressive approach” to him and asked if it was treating other customers like this, the minutes note.