Mortgage lending falls in March

MORTGAGE lending to Irish house buyers fell 2.6% last month, while household deposits were down just over 6%.

The news comes as new inflation figures prompt economists to say the European Central Bank (ECB) will act more aggressively on interest rates in the coming months.

According to figures from the Central Bank, lending to consumers fell 5.1% in the year to March with lending for other purposes falling 13.4%.