Pressed in parliament on the questions highlighted by Open Society, the government said it’s taking legal advice.
Patience Please
Late last year, the campaigners scored a win, helping one Irish couple gain the right to challenge the repossession of their home. According to court reports, confirmed by their lawyer, the case involved a loan of about 130,000 euros taken out to refinance the family’s debts as the nation’s real estate bubble began to ebb. By 2009, the couple was in default, and five years later, was served with repossession papers.
Their lawyer, Gary Fitzgerald, argued that the terms of the contract were unfair, and seizing the couple’s home would breach their rights. The judge in the case agreed to a judicial review, which has yet to be heard.
The case is starting to having a ripple effect, with local court officials in Waterford in the south of Ireland postponing some foreclosure cases until the legal ground is firmer.
“All parties here need to be patient,” said Niall Rooney, court registrar in the city. “I fully understand the pressure that both sides in these cases are experiencing, but the need for calm now cannot be overstated.”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.