Judge blasts bankers" 'fat jobs'

Judge John Neilan will not be hearing instalment or committal order cases at Mullingar District court until the end of November, he said last Friday (June 26).Pending a high court judgement on whether it is constitutional to jail debtors who fail to make instalment orders Judge Neilan said that his 'hands were now tied' and launched a tirade on the Irish banking system which he accused of causing the current economic crisis.A Mullingar couple had appeared before the court holding documentary evidence that they had attempted to reach a financial agreement with the ACC bank over repayments on an outstanding loan. The bank had declined to accept the payments which showed great 'arrogance' said the judge.Looking over the letters produced by the couple Judge Neilan said it was 'surprising that ACC bank had not accepted this generous offer'.'My obligation as a judge is to act as a fair and honest broker between the debtor and the lender,' said the Judge. 'People can come here to the court for help. Your priority is to keep a roof over your head and to feed your children. It is surprising that the bank has not accepted what I consider a very generous offer.'If I come to the conclusion that they have ignored a genuine offer, we"ll I tell you,' said the judge. 'These are the same banks and financial institutions who have brought this country to its knees. These are the people who are taking €3, 4, 5 million in bonuses.'The taxpayers of this country are now financing these banks. If someone had given the financial institutions of this country to a seven-year-old child tolook after they would have done a better job of it and the taxpayers of this country wouldn"t be paying for their lunches and their big fat jobs.'Judge Neilan then added a further dimension to the issue by differentiating between those who were willing and unwilling to settle debts.'There are certain people in this country who have brass necks and won"t pay anybody,' he said.