HBWI is an attempt to assemble a significant collection of unbiased information on banking in a single source.  The collection is an attempt to answer some of the most frequently asked questions on banking.  Questions range from "Who owns the banks?" to "Are my deposits guaranteed?" to "How can I cancel a Direct Debit" to "What is a clearing system?HBWI is intended for personal customers and small businesses and HBWI does not accept advertising, funding, or other support from the banking industry.

Launched in Spring 2007, it is expected that HBWI will grow as feedback from readers is received and filtered.  We welcome feedback from bank customers and from banks, regulators and legislators, and from any other interested parties.  

Tom Conlon has spent over 40 years in the banking industry in areas of research, costing, project management, policy and strategy development. He was a founder member and the Irish national representative on the European Payments Council. Tom holds a B.Comm (UCD) and M.Sc (TCD) as well as a number of certificates from Institute of Bankers in Ireland.  

Tom has also developed www.sepa.ie which explains how banking will change as the Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA) project unfolds from January 2008. Tom is now a senior consultant with Bankhawk Banking Solutions.

HBWI wishes to see a vibrant, progressive and efficient banking industry providing the best value-for-money services to support the Irish and European economies. We recognise that good banking services are an essential ingredient for success. The economy cannot accept mediocre services, unfair or uncompetitive practices.  Nor can it accept that progress will be held back by the failure of bank customers to adopt change.

So the website will draw the attention of its readers equally to the successes and the failures of the banking industry; to the opportunities and the threats to business & personal users of those services.