Category: central bank

The Central Bank has said the economy could shrink this year by up to 14%, while it has also warned that unemployment could average as high as 17% this year.  In its latest Quarterly Bulletin, the Central Bank also highlighted the risks to the economy of a no-deal Brexit.  The Central Bank has said there is […]

The Central Bank has warned that the scale of the economic shock due to Covid-19 is “unprecedented” and will create pressure on the financial position of both borrowers and banks.   Central Bank Governor Gabriel Makhlouf said governments are facing “fantastic levels of uncertainty” over the future and warned that while the financial system is resilient, […]

The Central Bank is to write to the insurance industry setting out how it expects insurance firms to handle the settlement of claims arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. The regulator says firms must ensure that all claims are appropriately assessed and where there is insurance cover in place, that claims are accepted and paid. The […]

The Central Bank has said that the protection of borrowers in mortgage arrears will continue to be a key priority for it during 2020. Derville Rowland, Director General, Financial Conduct at the Central Bank, said the bank will closely monitor the treatment of borrowers in arrears and take follow-up supervisory actions as required.  “As part […]

The Central Bank has decided not to make any changes to mortgage lending rules here that limit how much people can borrow from banks in order to fund house purchases.  Following a review, the regulator has concluded that the measures continue to meet their objectives of strengthening bank and borrower resilience. It also said the […]

Irish mortgage rates still higher than euro zone average New figures from the Central Bank show that Irish mortgage holders continue to pay the second highest interest rates in the euro zone. The average interest rate on all new mortgages issued here in August stood at 2.99%, down two basis points since the beginning of […]

Disorderly Brexit biggest risk to financial stability – Central Bank A new review from the Central Bank shows that the main risk to the country’s financial stability and the wider economy is a larger than expected macroeconomic shock in a case of a disorderly Brexit. As well as Brexit, the other risks to the financial […]

Irish banks have higher concentration of property loans than European peers – Central Bank Central Bank shows that Irish banks have a higher concentration of property lending than their European peers – with the concentration mainly in residential property. But in a Financial Stability Note, the Central Bank said the banking system here has increased […]

Govt wants Central Bank in financial sector forum New structures to encourage the development of international financial services will include bringing the Central Bank into a new stakeholder engagement group with industry and see overall responsibility for promoting the sector shifting to the Department of Finance. A new strategy for the sector will be launched […]

Central Bank seeks extra power to force banks to further increase their capital The Governor of the Central Bank has written to the Minister for Finance asking him to put in place measures that would enable the regulator to force banks to hold more capital if systemic risks increase. Philip Lane said the extra capital […]