Fitch affirms Irish bank ratings

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings on Irish banks, saying they have enough capital to deal with future losses even as their…

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings on Irish banks, saying they have enough capital to deal with future losses even as their mortgage books worsen.

The ratings company said deposits at AIB, Irish Life and Permanent, and former Anglo Irish Bank IBRC have stabilised and are no longer a source of liquidity concerns, though the lenders are likely to remain reliant on central bank support.

"The recapitalisation following the 2011 Prudential Capital Assessment Review positioned the banks well to deal with the problems in their loan books, provided that asset quality deterioration remains within Fitch's expectation," Fitch said.