John Hogan has been appointed to the new position of head of banking policy in the financial services division in the Department of Finance.

According to a statement from the department, Mr Hogan will be responsible for developing and delivering policy in key areas such as credit and lending to small and medium-sized businesses, mortgage arrears and consumer issues.

The department appointed Mr Hogan following a a competitive process ran by the Top Level Appointments Committee.

The head of banking policy is a newly created position in the restructured financial services division as set out in the department’s strategy statement, which was published in May. Mr Hogan’s appointment will complete this restructuring.

Mr Hogan has held a number of positions in the department to date and joined the financial services division in 2009. He is head of credit and lending policy and played a key role in the completion of the inter-departmental report on mortgage arrears (Keane report).