Loans to Irish households fall 0.8 per cent in third quarter

Loans to Irish households outstanding on the balance sheet of Irish credit institutions fell 0.8 per cent to €100.5 billion in the three months to the end of September.

Figures published by the Central Bank show the amount of credit outstanding is down 3.9 per cent on an annual basis, unchanged from the second quarter of the year.

The total amount of home loans stood at €123.7 billion at the end of September, down from €124.5 billion in the second quarter, as the number of home loans issued continued to decline for a 15th consecutive quarter.

Total deposits held by credit institutions on behalf of private customers amounted to €86 billion, a fall of €320 million or 0.4 per cent in the quarter.

Total credit to Irish private households outstanding on the balance sheet of resident credit institutions was €100.5 billion at end-September 2013, representing a quarterly decline of 0.8 per cent and an annual decline of 3.9 per cent; unchanged from Q2 2013.

Tracker mortgages accounted for 50 per cent of outstanding home loans. Standard variable rate mortgages accounted for 41 per cent, increasing by €407 million during the quarter.

Fixed rate mortgages accounted for 7 per cent of outstanding home loans, following a net decline of €275 million during the quarter.

Loans for principal dwellings fell by €206 million in the three month period, while loans on buy-to-let residential properties rose €879 million to €20 billion, representing 24 per cent of all home loans.

Personal lending not related to property accounted for 16 per cent or €15.6 billion of total balance sheet credit for private borrowers, falling 10.8 per cent on an annual basis.

The net flow of personal deposits in the year ending September 2013 was minus €936 million.