Bid to tackle mortgage crisis shot down

The Government has shot down an opposition bid to tackle mortgage arrears, despite more than 1,380 families facing the prospect of losing the “roof over their heads” this week alone.

The Fine Gael-Labour coalition said it will reject Fianna Fáil’s bill attempting to force banks to cut deals with people in difficulty instead of taking their homes, despite a growing public outcry and concerns banks are getting tougher with struggling households to take advantage of the strengthening property market.

According to the figures, which were detailed by the New Beginning group and revealed on UTV Ireland last night, 1,380 mortgage arrears cases are due to go before district courts this week, the equivalent of 276 a day.