Woman with €566,000 debt paying bank €5 a week, court hears

A judge has told a Co Dublin driving instructor that repayments of €5-a-week would not go very far towards reducing her mortgage arrears of €158,000.

Judge Jacqueline Linnane heard that KBC Bank was seeking to repossess Gwen Finlay's home on foot of several loans totalling more than €566,000 she had borrowed over several years from 2001.

Ms Finlay, with an address at Cherrywood, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, told the court she expected her business income to improve in the near future.

Ms Finlay, who represented herself, said she was disputing a number of issues with the bank and would require further time. She did not oppose an application by the bank for a further adjournment.

Barrister Stephen Byrne, who appeared with Beauchamps Solicitors for KBC, told Judge Linnane that Ms Finlay had served the bank with a further affidavit on Thursday last and he required time to deal with it.

Judge Linnane said the bank was owed a total of €566,632, including arrears of €158,000. Ms Finlay had told the bank her income totalled €1,332 a month and was making repayments of €20 a month.

“Repayments should be something like €2,648 and it is the bank’s situation that your position is unsustainable,” Judge Linnane said.

She told Finlay that the bank’s claim was not for a monetary sum but was for possession of her home which she had put up as security for her loans.

“There are very substantial arrears and, while I am adjourning the matter until July 7th, the bank’s claim for possession will go ahead on that date,” Judge Linnane said.