Jobless mother bids to stop bank repossessing €700k family home

A mother of four on social welfare is appealing to the High Court an order for possession by a bank against her €700,000 family home.

Judge Jacqueline Linnane in the Circuit Civil Court yesterday told counsel for Mary White her court had no jurisdiction to extend a stay that runs up to Feb 28, as she had already lodged an appeal to the higher court.

The judge said the order made last August in the Circuit Civil Court granted Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank possession of the property in Dublin 6, with a stay for six months.

The court heard earlier that Ms White, who is unemployed, had not made any repayments since 2010 on three loans totalling €469,000, taken out 10 years ago, and that she now owed more than €210,000 in arrears.

Anne Lawlor, counsel for the bank, had previously told the court the outstanding balance was €569,960 and rising because of interest charges. The loans had been secured on 190 Upper Rathmines Rd.

In Oct 2009, the bank had demanded repayment of all sums with interest. The bank had held back on possession proceedings in 2011 when Ms White had put the property up for sale.

Ms White had refused an offer of €600,000 as, she had stated, the offer was not enough to pay off the mortgages and meet a judgment against the property by Sanford Park School, Ranelagh, and a High Court judgment against it by Paul Healy.

Yesterday Judge Linnane, dismissing Ms White’s application, said the court had no jurisdiction to make any order regarding extension of the stay or legal costs for yesterday’s application.