merrion street

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has published the Report of the Expert Group on Repossessions on the Department of Justice and Equality website.

The Expert Group on Repossessions was established in September 2013 in response to a commitment to the Troika contained in the 9th review of the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP) to examine the repossession system, identify any shortcomings and make recommendations before the end of 2013.

While the Expert Group does not recommend any legislative reforms, it has concluded however, that significant efficiencies could be achieved through more effective case management by lenders, more harmonised documentation standards and a more structured framework for borrowers in repossession proceedings. These conclusions will be brought to the attention of the lending institutions and the Court Rules Committees which determine the practices and procedures applicable to proceedings coming before the courts.

The Expert Group noted certain data deficits in relation to repossession proceedings and considered that more detailed and timely data should be made available. Arrangements for improved data collection are already being put in place by the Courts Service. The Group also considered that the court system's capacity to operate efficiently in light of any increased demand should be kept under ongoing review.

The report was submitted to Government today for its information, it had already been made available to the Troika prior to the end-of-year deadline.

The Expert Group Report is available on the Justice website www.justice.ie