The cause of the action is not known, but it is likely to be linked to comments made in a work chat group by some staff at the bank regarding RTÉ’s recent documentary on the tracker mortgage scandal.
Mr Kissane featured extensively in the two-part series Trackers: The People v the Banks which was shown on RTÉ One on November 3.
Irish Independent journalist Charlie Weston, who broke the tracker scandal story, also featured heavily in the show.
Mr Kissane recounted how he had won an early victory against Ulster Bank for two clients, and then brought seven more cases to the financial ombudsman, who upheld the customer complaints.
In 2012, Mr Kissane took out an ad in the Irish Independent urging bank customers who had lost their tracker mortgages to get in touch with him. His successful campaign has been compared with how Alan Bates, a British post master, helped victims of the UK’s Post Office scandal.
Financial adviser Padraic Kissane. Photo: RTÉ
News in 90 Seconds – 10 December 2025
After the documentary was broadcast, it was reported that a small number of officials in Bank of Ireland had mocked the documentary and Mr Kissane personally.
The bank subsequently described the messages as “completely unacceptable and utterly inappropriate” and stressed that they did not represent its views or standards.
We have engaged directly to express our unreserved apology for the inappropriate commentary
“We have initiated a formal investigation and have taken immediate actions,” it said.
“We will take any further steps that are necessary when this investigation concludes.”
Bank of Ireland admitted that the unacceptable comments included some that were directed towards a person “who played a critical role in representing homeowners”, and with whom it has had a strong professional relationship over many years.
“They are a person of integrity and are fully committed to achieving a fair outcome for customers,” a spokesman for Bank of Ireland said.
“We have engaged directly to express our unreserved apology for the inappropriate commentary.”
Mr Kissane told the Business Post last month that he was “upset, hurt and angered” by the posts, and described one of them as “appalling”.
“I am so, so upset, angered and maddened for all the genuine people who I have represented and that I have met in the course of my work, including those in the banks,” he told the newspaper.
“I restored, by intervention, 1,800 bank staff to their trackers, none of whom were my clients.”
Mr Kissane could not be reached for comment about his legal action.
A Bank of Ireland spokesman refused to comment.