198,000 Households Have Distressed Mortgages - Ellis

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Dessie Ellis TD has said that the government's policy for the last two years has been to back banks and other lenders against those who are risk of losing their homes.

He made his comments at the party's James Connolly Summer School in Dublin.

Deputy Ellis continued: "There are 198,000 households with distressed mortgages and over 30,000 rental properties in serious trouble. This is a major catastrophe just waiting to happen.


"The government has not sought any real reform to help people stay in their homes or resolve un-payable debt. We have had no independent case-by-case debt resolution process established and lenders have been given a veto over any proposed solutions with homeowners.

"The government brought a bill before the house which will aid lenders in repossessing homes. This comes in complete isolation of measures to help those in distressed mortgages.

"The banks were bailed out with the people's money and now the government is aiding them in riding rough shod over struggling families."

(CD/MH)