Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath secures meeting with KBC bank following 'peaceful occupation'

Following his ‘peaceful occupation' of the offices of KBC Bank in Dublin last week, Independent Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath says he now welcomes the decision by the bank to meet him and fellow TDs Michael Collins and Carol Nolan in January.

The three TDs  engaged in a peaceful occupation of the bank's premises on Lower Baggot Street in Dublin  in order to demand a change in how the bank resolves cases involving mortgage distress.

Mr McGrath said a  meeting has now been agreed for  January 9 in Dublin. 

“At that meeting Carol, Michael and myself will be demanding that the bank immediately review the protocols it has in place with respect to debt resolution processes.

“We want to make it absolutely clear that we fully accept the legitimate right of the bank to recoup losses that it has incurred in terms of mortgage distress.

“What we are saying however is that this right must be proportionate and it must be fair”.

 He said that above all it must not be implemented in such a way that it is then used to walk all over people who are making sincere and hard won attempts to engage constructively with their debt repayment obligations

He added that the vast  majority of the people they are dealing with want to repay their debts and are deeply responsible people who do not have an ‘everything for nothing’ approach and who  profoundly resent being characterised in that light.