The county registrar in Kerry yesterday directed that county council housing officers be approached with a view to agreeing a “shared ownership” options on homes being repossessed.

An application was made by a bank yesterday to repossess the home of a couple who had managed to put down 20% of the price of their home at the height of the boom — but who later fell into arrears because the man lost his job.

Bigger ballot papers with voters taking longer than ever to select their preferences, and fewer ballot boxes, will result in longer queues and pressures at polling stations in Kerry.

Staff numbers as well as polling booths have been reduced in one county in response to instructions from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to save money, the county registrar in Kerry has confirmed.

A subprime lender has been told there are issues to be determined after the balance due on a €143,000 loan rose to more than €1.1m in less than 10 years.

The rapid expansion of civil engineering group, Ward & Burke’s business in Canada last year contributed to the group’s pre-tax profits almost tripling to €4.75m.

A young couple with a new baby and three other children said yesterday they had a lender’s application to repossess their rural home “sprung upon them”.

An anti-eviction group protested outside the now monthly Possession and Well Charging Court in Tralee yesterday.

Banks must be able to tell the court if the house it seeks to repossess is a family home or an investment property, a county registrar yesterday ordered.

The officer appointed to run the circuit court office in Co Kerry has lost a High Court challenge over the alleged failure of the Courts Service to provide him with replacements for key staff who have retired.

Padraig Burke knows the buck stops with him, but is confident the preparations he and his team have done will deliver a stress-free day, writes John O’Mahony

THE Kerry county registrar has strongly defended voting procedures in the county at the last general election, insisting “checks and balances” were in place.

AN ELDERLY couple who became suspicious of a woman caller to their home in the lead-up to last February’s general election told gardaí they feared they were being targeted in a vote rigging scam.

AIB LEAGUE DIVISION 1B:

Buccaneers 18 UCC 11

Shannon 49 Buccaneers 26

The following is the Connacht U21 side to meet Ulster at Ravenhill on Saturday (2.0):

The following is the Connacht U19 15 to play Munster at The Sportsground on Friday (4.30pm):

Avondhu 1-28, Seandun 0-8