Over 400 repossession cases brought before Cork court since start of year
Yesterday, 93 cases were scheduled for hearing at the courthouse in Washington Street, where a number of groups gathered to protest against home repossessions.
Brian McCarthy, of the Anti-Eviction Taskforce, claimed there is an “epidemic of evictions” across the country and that 676 cases were heard across Munster in January alone.
“Here in Cork last week there were 96 and today we have 93, so we feel there is a huge land grab going on and with all the people that we are trying to deal with, the banks are being totally and utterly uncooperative,” he said.
According to the courts diary, the 415 cases brought before Cork Circuit Court this year includes:
- 97 brought by Permanent TSB.
- 74 from Ulster Bank.
- 72 brought by AIB Mortgage Bank and/or Allied Irish Banks PLC.
- 45 from KBC Bank.
- 42 from EBS Limited/ EBS Mortgage Finance.
- 24 brought by Bank of Ireland/ Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank/ The Governor and Company of The Bank of Ireland.
- 18 brought by Springboard Mortgages.
- 8 brought by Haven Mortgages.
- 6 brought by Pepper Finance Corporation.
- 5 brought by Bank of Scotland.
The vast majority of cases yesterday were adjourned.
Meanwhile, leading homelessness campaigner Fr Peter McVerry has claimed that despite a national outcry over the death of a man outside the Dáil at Christmas, entire families are facing life on the streets for the first time “since the Famine”.
Fr McVerry made his comments during a war of words with Environment Minister Alan Kelly over the fact 271 emergency beds introduced in December have now been removed.
He was speaking on RTÉ Radio after Mr Kelly said he had not heard the campaigner “say one positive thing yet in relation to anything”.
“I’m used to those comments from him,” Labour’s deputy leader said during a visit to Fr Scully House, a new senior citizens’ complex in Dublin.
“I haven’t heard him say one thing positive yet in relation to anything, which is unfortunate because many members of his staff work with us and would have contrary views, or express contrary views. I’d rather if people were more constructive.
“To be frank, you’re talking to the person who has put more money into housing than anyone on this island in the history of this State,” Mr Kelly said.
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