Troika to focus on mortgage crisis

IRELAND’S bailout masters are back in town this week and will focus their attention on the stability of the banks, troubled mortgages and the unemployment crisis.

The EU-IMF-ECB troika’s quarterly visit will see the usual review of the bailout programme, meetings with ministers, the opposition and senior civil servants overseeing spending.

The €3.5bn in savings agreed in last month’s budget and an exit plan for Ireland from the bailout at the end of this year will form the centre of talks.