THE Catholic Church has come out in support of Master of the High
Court Edmund Honohan, calling on the Government and banks to recognise
that the family home cannot be treated like any other property, and that
the risk of losing one's home must not be underestimated or minimised.
In what will be seen as a major endorsement of the views
expressed by Mr Honohan in relation to the banks' aggressive and
relentless pursuit of distressed mortgage holders, the chair of the
Bishops' Council for Justice and Peace, Bishop Raymond Field, said
priority must now be given to finding a "just, viable and sustainable
solution" for homeowners in arrears, in the "interests of the common
good".
In a comprehensive statement to the Sunday Independent,
Bishop Field -- a qualified barrister -- said: "Today I appeal to the
Government and financial institutions to act in the interests of the
common good and recognise that a family home cannot be treated like any
other property.
"Strong families are the cornerstone of
communities and a healthy society. The environment
in which the family
lives is of central importance in that equation. The consequences of
losing a family home must not be underestimated or minimised."
He
reiterated the Church's view expressed earlier this year, in which it
said the "home, which should provide a place of warmth and security, had
now become a burden, a source of insecurity and a constant reminder of
insurmountable debts".
Commenting on the impact this was having on
those directly affected and on Irish society generally, Bishop Field
said: "True economic recovery cannot be achieved at the expense of the
well-being of our citizens. It is in all our best interests to ensure
that a just, viable and sustainable solution is found to the problem of
mortgage arrears and home repossessions.
"This needs to be a
priority issue for both the Government and the financial institutions as
more and more people are suffering everyday the strain of this fear and
insecurity. Ending this suffering would be a significant step towards
recovery."