Gilmore: Bankruptcy legislation will be fast-tracked

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore is promising that legislation to deal with bankruptcy will be fast-tracked this year.

It follows claims from the High Court Master that banks were driving some debt-ridden borrowers to suicide.

Edmund Honohan also says that a "fresh-start" scheme of debt forgiveness is needed - and he claimed the legislation could be done quickly "on the back of an envelope".

The Government has committed to new bankruptcy legislation towards the end of next year but Deputy Gilmore today said issues will be dealt with in 2011.

"There is no long-fingering of this matter," Deputy Gilmore told the Dáil this morning.

"The Personal Involvency Bill is planned for 2012," he said, adding that interim measures planned for the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill are in the course of being drafted "with a view to publication as soon as possible this year".