Mortgage arrears code of conduct
Deputy Durkan urged urgent protections for homeowners and small businesses facing litigation over mortgage repayments, warning of rising homelessness. Deputy Flanagan said several Departments were involved, praised Abhaile, and said amending legislation would be brought to the House in coming weeks.
I wish to raise again the question of the urgent need to introduce a code of conduct to protect homeowners and small business owners who have found themselves in difficulty meeting their mortgage repayments and who are currently the subject of litigation which, if allowed to continue unabated, will result in a sharp increase in homelessness throughout the country. I understand the Minister has indicated that he is working on such a code of conduct, but it must be done soon.
Comment on this
A number of Departments are involved in this issue, including the Department of Justice and Equality. I assure the Deputy of the success of the Abhaile scheme, and also point out that amending legislation was initiated by my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Moran, which I intend to present to the House over the next few weeks.