Consumer Credit regulatory updates from Ireland.
In his latest blog, Governor Gabriel Makhlouf reflects on his outreach visits to all 26 counties and what they taught him for his second term as governor of the Central Bank.
Warning: Unauthorised Retail Credit Firm Unauthorised Firm Name Loan Empower Solution Website https://www.lesolution.eu Purported address The Merrion Buildings, 18–20 Merrion Street, Dublin 2, D02 XH98, Ireland Email address used contact@lesolution.eu Phone number used +49 30 1234 5678 Authorisation in Ireland Loan Empower Solution is not authorised as a retail credit firm in Ireland. Additional information Loan Empower Solution appears to be engaged in ‘advanced fee fraud’, where a payment i...
The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) has issued a formal warning under section 53 of the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013 against **Loan Empower Solution**, an unauthorised firm purporting to offer retail credit from a Dublin address while apparently engaging in **advance fee fraud**. This reinforces supervisory expectations that authorised firms operating in or into Ireland must have robust controls around unauthorised-firm risk, fraud referrals, and customer communications, particularly where clone or bogus “retail credit” offerings are involved.
AI-generated analysis. May contain errors or omissions — verify with the original CBI source before acting. Full disclaimer.
My thanks to the Tánaiste and his Department for the invitation to be here today. I am delighted to take part in this National Financial Literacy Strategy Stakeholder Forum. It is an important event as part of a necessary collaborative approach across public and private stakeholders in delivering Ireland’s National Financial Literacy Strategy – a strategy in which Central Bank of Ireland is proud to participate. As we are here in the oldest continuously operating maternity hospital in the wor...
Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. It is great to see the energy and commitment to the credit union movement evident here today and reflected in your agenda for today’s conference. 1 Today’s event is especially timely, coming not long since Minister Troy’s announcement in April of the Credit Union Strategy Project, which provides an opportunity to future proof the credit union sector to overcome challenges and meet opportunities. The Central Bank welcomes ...
Introduction Good morning – I am delighted to be here, and many thanks to Brian and the BPFI for hosting us. 1 I very much look forward to the discussion, and to hearing from you all today, but before I do I would like to set out some reflections on a number of topics which are currently high on the regulatory agenda. While the discussion is multifaceted, and tied up with a regulatory cycle which has turned, an economic one which has become more challenging, not to mention a renewed focus by ...
Central Bank loan-level research shows the Irish lending market is significantly less concentrated when considering the full diversity of lenders. Robust capital and liquidity positions have served the sector well – with the evidence not supporting a lowering of overall levels of resilience on the basis of bank credit, profitability or international competitiveness. Central Banks best serve these broader objectives related to productivity and growth by delivering on their core mandates, effec...
Warning: Unauthorised Retail Credit Firm Unauthorised Firm Name Finance Advice Help Website Financeadvicehelp.com Email address used contact@financeadvicehelp.com Authorisation in Ireland Finance Advice Help is not authorised to provide retail credit services in Ireland. Notes: Any person wishing to contact the Central Bank with information regarding such firms / persons may telephone (01) 224 5800 or report an unauthorised firm directly to the Central Bank . For more information on how to pr...
The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) has issued a warning notice under section 53 of the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013, identifying "Finance Advice Help" (website: financeadvicehelp.com; email: contact@financeadvicehelp.com) as an unauthorised firm providing retail credit services in Ireland. This matters for compliance professionals as it underscores CBI's proactive enforcement against unauthorised entities, heightening risks of consumer scams and potential liability for authorised firms if clients inadvertently engage with clones or similar frauds.[Source URL: https://www.centralbank.ie/news/article/finance-advice-help--central-bank-of-ireland-issues-warning-on-unauthorised-firm]
AI-generated analysis. May contain errors or omissions — verify with the original CBI source before acting. Full disclaimer.
Shamrock Lend (Clone) - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
The Prohibition Notice (PDF) issued after Mr Buckley signed a Statement of Undisputed Facts, in which he accepted that between 1 February 2021 and 12 December 2023, while he was employed at two different retail intermediaries, he issued invoices to clients directing payment to his personal bank account in place of his employers’ bank details. Mr Buckley also accepted that he misrepresented his financial qualifications to clients during the course of his employment. The Prohibition Notice issu...
The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) has issued an indefinite prohibition to Nicholas (Nick) Buckley from all controlled functions, effective 25 February 2026, following his admission of diverting client payments to his personal account and misrepresenting financial qualifications while at two retail intermediaries from 1 February 2021 to 12 December 2023. This enforcement action underscores the CBI's commitment to the Fitness and Probity Regime, emphasizing integrity in customer-facing roles to maintain public trust. Compliance professionals should note it as a precedent for severe sanctions on dishonesty, potentially influencing vetting and monitoring practices.
AI-generated analysis. May contain errors or omissions — verify with the original CBI source before acting. Full disclaimer.
Good afternoon and welcome to this Central Bank of Ireland workshop on the Consumer Protection Code. Today I will focus on the outlook for consumers and investors. But first let me pause to talk a little about the broader context in which we find ourselves. We are living through a period marked by extraordinary change, geopolitical instability, rapid technological transformation and shifting economic conditions. Governor Makhlouf summarised this well when he said how 2026 has already seen ext...
Deputy Governor Colm Kincaid's speech on 24 March 2026 emphasizes consumer protection as central to the Central Bank of Ireland's (CBI) mission amid geopolitical, technological, and economic changes, highlighting the revised **Consumer Protection Code 2025** (CPC 2025) as a key modernization effort. This matters for compliance professionals because the CPC 2025 introduces enhanced, digitally-focused protections effective **24 March 2026**, replacing the 2012 Code after a 12-month implementation period, with firms required to proactively secure customer interests.
AI-generated analysis. May contain errors or omissions — verify with the original CBI source before acting. Full disclaimer.
The Central Bank of Ireland today (Tuesday 24 March 2026) marked the coming into force of the modernised Consumer Protection Code, giving consumers stronger protections when using banks, insurance companies, and other financial services. The modernised Code has been designed to better protect consumers in today’s world, and in anticipation of how financial services will evolve into the future. It follows extensive public consultation and engagement. Deputy Governor Colm Kincaid said: "The Cen...
New OECD report highlights financial scams as top threat to consumers globally Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland Colm Kincaid welcomed the publication of the OECD’s Consumer Finance Risk Monitor 2026 , a comprehensive global assessment examining consumer protection challenges across 60 international jurisdictions. Deputy Governor Kincaid emphasised the need for strengthened oversight as structural economic, technological and market-conduct risks converge to significantly elevate ...
Stalwart Investments Limited (Clone) - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
SB Leasing Ireland Limited (Clone) - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
Capital Horizon Loans (Clone) - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
DEV Limited (CLONE) - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
Tava Loans - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
Ava Credit Finance - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
LiteLoans4U - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
Uniq Loan Financial - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
Caventer Finance - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
Lending Loans - Central Bank of Ireland Issues Warning on Unauthorised Firm
The Central Bank of Ireland has today (Monday 14 October) published its Flood Protection Gap Report . Some homes and businesses in Ireland are unable to obtain flood cover. This means that when a flood occurs, there can be a shortfall between the actual cost of the flood and the portion of that cost that is covered by insurance. This is the flood protection gap. The occurrence of severe flooding could and does leave households and business with high levels of uninsured losses, and may create ...
Good afternoon Chairman, Committee members, I am joined by Ed Sibley, Deputy Governor, Prudential Regulation and Derville Rowland, Director General, Financial Conduct. We welcome the opportunity to appear before you today. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been deep and distressing for our community. The actions taken to contain the health emergency have affected the economy and all of our lives. The Central Bank’s job is to ensure the financial system operates in the best interests o...
Following a satisfactory review of the data submitted by banks and credit unions, to the Central Credit Register, the initial enquiry phase has now commenced. This means that from today borrowers and lenders can request a copy of credit reports from the Central Credit Register. Data on mortgages, personal loans, credit cards and overdrafts, which is backdated to 30 June 2017, is live on the system and is incorporated into credit reports. From 30 September 2018 it will be compulsory for credit...