Home debt figures - Borrowers need help to keep homes

EVEN though we have been warned about the terrible impact personal debt will have on individuals or families, yesterday’s news that the number of homeowners struggling to repay mortgages almost doubled between June 2008 and last September is chilling.

We have also been warned that this is likely to deteriorate. We – Government, the lenders and those directly affected – must have a clear and practical plan to deal with the challenges this situation brings.

Putting people, whose mortgage repayments were made on time before they lost their jobs, out of their family home is not the kind of proposal that will wash in the Ireland of NAMA and multi-million euro retirement packages for discredited bankers and regulators.