Good news on Stamp Duty from the Minister welcomed by Bank of Ireland

Bank of Ireland, the number one mortgage provider in Ireland, has strongly welcomed yesterday's move on stamp duty by the Minister for Finance. The Bank is of the view that this change will be a strong support to prospective buyers of new and second hand houses.

Joe Larkin, Managing Director, Bank of Ireland Mortgages said: "Bank of Ireland welcome this news from the Minister as the simplified stamp duty structure above and below the €1m in value threshold will help to re-establish customer confidence. The strong economic forces that underpin the market are also still in place, including economic, population and employment growth and favourable demographics. We also welcome the Minister's move on the provision of 5,500 new affordable homes, where Bank of Ireland is a leading provider of finance to get customers on the housing ladder.

As the number one mortgage provider, Bank of Ireland is well positioned to meet the needs of the market place. We offer great value for money across all of our mortgage products on the basis of a comprehensive; value added deal, excellent service proposition and a very accessible distribution network.
For example, Bank of Ireland currently offer, for those thinking of moving home, a comprehensive trade up mortgage package which includes: competitive pricing, a €750 contribution to legal fees, a €150 furniture removal voucher, bridging finance solutions, a dedicated Mortgage Adviser in every branch and a trade up mortgage guide.

Last month, Bank of Ireland launched a very competitive new switcher package, which includes:

Note to Editors

*Terms and conditions
The 4.65% tracker (4.7% APR) is currently available for residential mortgages switched into Bank of Ireland before the 31st March 08. Loan to value must be < 50% or loan value > €500K.

The €1,000 legal fee contribution is available to all customers switching in residential mortgages of more than €200K.

The €1,000 legal fee contribution is not available to customers switching between Bank of Ireland group companies - i.e. an ICS customer switching to Bank of Ireland.

The €1,000 payment is subject to a 5 year full clawback should a customer close their mortgage account with Bank of Ireland during this timeframe.

This offer is currently a direct offer applicable for residential mortgages only. It is available through the Bank of Ireland branch network or by phoning Bank of Ireland's call centre on 1890 365 850 or by applying online at www.bankofireland.ie

For more information:

Audra Dutton
Consumer Communications Manager
Bank of Ireland
Tel: 01 604 3750
Mobile: 086 818 3932