Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Government regards the issue of distressed mortgage holders as a matter of great urgency. We are very concerned about the difficulties in which mortgage holders find themselves when these matters are brought before the courts. A personal insolvency Bill is planned for 2012 and is in the course of being developed in the Department of Justice and Equality to provide for a new framework for settlement and enforcement of debt, and for personal insolvency. Some interim measures are planned for the civil law (miscellaneous provisions) Bill that is in the course of being drafted with a view to publication as soon as possible this year. Account is being taken of the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission in its recent report on personal debt management and debt enforcement. That report provided an in-depth review of the personal debt regime.

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