Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I have pointed out to the Deputy, house repossessions are a very sensitive issue in this country. I think everybody agrees that, over the years, even when we did not have the extent of lending we had during the so-called Celtic tiger years, there were always a small number of house repossessions. When I served on the local authority many years ago, it applied in a small number of cases in particular circumstances.

I do not know the details of the case the Deputy mentioned. I understand it involves a man, his wife, their three small children and their family home. They took out a mortgage and made repayments. They took out a second facility and it is the provider of that facility which seems to have taken the case here. If I understand it correctly, this case went to court. To deal with this in a completely independent fashion, the Government put in a right for that man and his wife and for anybody in this circumstance to have the court set aside all legal proceedings about repossession until all the options are explored. It is not true to say the banks have 100% authority here. That is why the Insolvency Service of Ireland was set up.

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