Banks and state were let off the hook, says mother

CAROLINE LENNON-NALLY, a separated mother of one, didn’t find much hope in the Keane report. The authors, she said, are laying the blame with homeowner and letting the banks and state off the hook.

“As a public sector worker, I’m very used to working with bureaucracies and so I know the devil is in the detail. But I don’t see the banks taking any responsibility or the state, headed by the Government and Bertie Ahern at the time, who was urging us to get on the housing ladder. Yes, we were a bit naive but all we did was listen to the professionals and the Government who told us to buy and constantly told us there would be a soft landing.”

Caroline bought a four bedroomed detached house in Carlow at the height of the boom. She paid €385,000 for it but her bill came to €412,000 by the time she had paid stamp duty and legal fees.