Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy can see, the number of borrowers in arrears continued to fall throughout 2015. In the fourth quarter of last year, after ten consecutive quarters of decline, 88% of accounts in principal dwelling homes were not in arrears. The number of accounts in arrears has continued to fall in 2016. Many of those who are in serious arrears have never made any engagement at all with the lending institutions. That is something that needs to be addressed. People who are in trouble have a genuine fear and a deep anxiety about answering the letters they are sent. I do not have information on the number of cases of voluntary surrender of houses, as opposed to the number of repossessions ordered by the courts. Under the code of conduct for lending institutions, they are supposed to treat their clients with courtesy. It takes two to come to a solution. There is a solution in all these cases. The number of cases has decreased from over 100,000 to the current number and is continuing to decrease. Although progress is being made, many people still have a real difficulty in this regard. One would like to think that the institutions will comply with the code of conduct by treating their customers in a fair, proper and courteous manner. Some people have failed to demonstrate the courage or the capacity to engage with the lending institutions, even though structures have been provided to help them through the personal insolvency practitioners or MABS. The failure of people to engage will not bring their problems to a conclusion. We are trying to help them.