Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There has been a reduction from 11,677 to 11,054 in mortgage arrears in the principal private dwellings category. What do those figures mean? Do they mean that 600 people are no longer in arrears? Have they suddenly paid off their mortgage? Have they come into money and been able to get three months of arrears wiped off? Has the bank given them a discount? I noted Mr. Boucher's language. He has been very careful with his language about discounts and write-offs, and maybe he has to be. He has said that the bank is a public company but he has been very careful. How many of these people would have got a reduction in the capital balance or a write-off of arrears?