Taoiseach: Mortgage arrears biggest issue facing country

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said the growing mortgage arrears crisis is the single biggest issue facing the Irish people at the moment.

However, Mr Kenny rejected Opposition claims that the Government has been "chronically inactive" in dealing with it.

He was responding to the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin who said: "The fact that 75,000 homeowners are in arrears is having a severe impact on families."

He accused the Government of failing to act decisively to deal with the crisis.

But the Taoiseach rejected the claim saying: "I regard the issue of mortgage arrears as being the single, biggest issue facing our people at the moment.

"In that sense I'm well aware of the figures that have been quoted publicly yesterday.

"I reject Deputy Martin's assertion that the government have been chronically inactive in this regard."