FLAC calls for focus on personal debt

The Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC) has called on the Government to focus on helping those struggling with debt.

Figures from the Central Bank show almost €150bn was owed on residential mortgages at the end of November.

While savings are at an all-time high, the Central Bank figures also show nearly €374bn was owed to credit institutions at the end of November.

Noeleen Blackwell from the Free Legal Advice Centre said the system to deal with debt was last looked at in 1940, and that "life has changed a lot since then...There needs to be more focus on people who are in debt. All the focus has been on banks."