Are Troika Moneylenders Breaking Our Laws?

by Kathy McMahon - 18th April 2012

Folks, the money lenders (Troika) are back in town.

Even as one Irish child in five goes to bed hungry, these folks are wining and dining like lords in Unicorn Restaurant, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin:
http://g.co/maps/v47tg 

So, as a matter of interest (excuse the pun) I came across this article from 2010 about Licensed Money Lenders in Ireland and families paying exorbitant interest on loans:
 

"Surge in families turning to money lenders"

There are 50 licensed money lenders... operating in the country with rates which range from 35% to 188.45%, the highest rate being charged by Southside Finance Ltd with an address in Stillorgan, Co Dublin."
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/surge-in-families-turning-to-money-lenders-133807.html#ixzz1sOeCDxmR

And another interesting article from wayyyyyy back in 2002 from the Independent :

"Meet Ireland's new breed of licensed moneylender"

...Today, moneylending at high interest rates is very big business and your local lender is likely to be well-dressed and well-spoken, and operating from a modern office in the city centre."
http://www.independent.ie/business/meet-irelands-new-breed-of-licensed-moneylender-298029.html

Interesting to read on www.citizensinformation.ie the following:

"Under Section 11 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 it is an offence to demand payment of a debt in a way designed to alarm, distress or humiliate. This also covers both blackmail and extortion. (Extortion means using intimidation or the threat of violence to obtain money, information or anything else of value from another person).

If someone is charged with this offence and it is tried as a summary offence... the maximum penalty is a fine and/or 12 months imprisonment. If tried as an indictable offence... the maximum penalty is a fine and/or 14 years imprisonment. "

Now would you say that people are being bullied, intimidated, humiliated by the politicians, the Troika and the EU? I would.!! 

Furthermore here is "Section 11 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997"

11.—(1) A person who makes any demand for payment of a debt shall be guilty of an offence if—

(a) the demands by reason of their frequency are calculated to subject the debtor or a member of the family of the debtor to alarm, distress or humiliation, or

(b) the person falsely represents that criminal proceedings lie for non-payment of the debt, or

(c) the person falsely represents that he or she is authorised in some official capacity to enforce payment, or

(d) the person utters a document falsely represented to have an official character.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1997/en/act/pub/0026/sec0011.html#zza26y1997s11

I rest my case for now :)