Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of houses that have been repossessed for non-payment of council loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9520/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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A total of 66 repossessions across all local authorities have been carried out in the five year period 2005-2009. This includes 7 voluntary repossessions. I propose to include in the official report a tabular statement providing a breakdown of repossessions by each local authority.

Provisions regarding lending by local authorities for the purposes of house purchase are set out in section 11 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. Where a loan stands in default, section 11(10) provides that a local authority may make such monetary arrangements with a borrower as they consider equitable to take account of the particular circumstances of the borrower. Local authorities can and do exercise the powers available to them under the Act and endeavour, in all arrears cases, to engage proactively and constructively with a distressed borrower with the aim of enabling a household remain in their home. Repossession, where it does occur, is always a last resort.

To support consistency of approach and ensure best practice across all local authority areas, my Department is currently developing guidance, based on the Regulator's Code of Conduct, to ensure that cases of local authority mortgage arrears are handled in a manner that is sympathetic to the needs of the particular household, while also protecting the position of the local authority concerned.