I have read a bit more of the site and, as I say, it's generally well written and I agree with most of it.
The Central Bank and Dept of Finance are wrong on their strategy for PTSB
It has serious problems but they can be worked through over time.
It is not easy to solve PTSB's liquidity position
PTSB is the most highly leveraged of the Irish lenders. Unfortunately, that leaves it with little scope for arguing with what its main funder, the Central Bank and ECB tells it to do. It is funding most of its mortgage book with emergency liquidity at ECB rates of 1.25%. Without this, it would have shut years ago. So the directors can't dictate terms. That does not mean that they should not dispute the solution. However...
PTSB has serious liquidity problems. But these could be resolved over 5 years. I have proposed
8 ways for PTSB to speed up its deleveraging programme
Unfortunately the executive directors' interests are not aligned with the shareholders' interests
The executive directors and board of Irish Life & Permanent have a great company Irish Life and a problem company PTSB. They would love to get rid of PTSB. The government is solving the problem for them. After the demerger of Irish Life, the top guys will still have well paid jobs in Irish Life, free of any salary restrictions applying to Irish bailed out banks, while the taxpayer will be left holding PTSB which will be ridiculously overcapitalised.
Having said that, I agree that PTSB should be separated out from Irish Life
Irish Life is being held back by PTSB and it should be separated out so that it can thrive on its own. That does not mean that PTSB should be taken into state ownership.
It's not in the public interest to take PTSB into state ownership
A divested PTSB could reach the liquidity targets set by the Central Bank and ECB over about 5 years. It would mean withdrawing from new business in the mortgage market but that will happen anyway.
After 5 years, PTSB could be a very useful contributor to the Irish mortgage and banking market.
- It would offer choice
- It is a customer focused bank
- It had a good brand name which could be rebuilt