A society divided - It’s time to scrap these insane deals

OUR inescapable economic crisis made its usual, disheartening contribution to the headlines yesterday.

For the fourth month in a row the number of people out of work has risen. A figure of 469,713 — 14.4% of the workforce — was reported as this terrible statistic climbs inexorably towards 500,000. These figures, for such a small country, are on a frightening scale and represent so many lives, so many families in turmoil.

Permanent TSB reported losses of €349 million admitting that 8.8% of their mortgages are in arrears.