The risks in house buyers depending on two salaries to maintain substantial mortgage repayments featured in Dublin Circuit Civil Court yesterday when the Irish Permanent Building Society sought to repossess a couple's home. Ms Nicola Sheehan, a solicitor, told Judge Michael White the society had loaned Mr Martin and Ms Carole Dolan £88,700 to buy their home at Somerton, Dun Laoghaire, in October 1990. The monthly instalment amounted to £732 but arrears now stood at £6,356. Mr Dolan, a sign manufacturer, told the court his wife had been ill since January and had no money coming in apart from disability benefit. They hoped she would be return to work by next January. He said they would be in a difficult position until his wife returned to work. Judge White said that until Mrs Dolan recovered he would not order them to pay off the arrears but stressed that in the meantime it would be important for them to maintain the monthly repayments.
He adjourned the society's application with liberty to re-enter on 21 days' notice to the Dolans on the grounds they would continue to meet existing monthly repayments. Judge White also adjourned an application by Irish Permanent to possess the home of Mr David and Ms Martina Dunne, Grange Downs, Rathfarnham, Dublin, whose mortgage had fallen into arrears of £7,338.