Personal Insolvency has been providing solutions for people in financial distress facing the loss of their homes since its introduction in 2013. The process is designed to help those under financial pressure return to solvency and, wherever possible, keep their home.
It’s not about the eye-watering headline figures that regularly appear in the press, or the multi-million-euro write-offs with the personal details of debtors needlessly publicised. In reality, most solutions involve far more modest sums, yet the stakes are just as high for the person whose home is on the line.
A Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) can secure someone’s home with an affordable mortgage and little or no debt write-off. To that person, this outcome matters every bit as much as a multi-million euro write-off does to someone else.
In a recent case heard at Trim Circuit Court on 8th July 2026, I acted as the solicitor for the Personal Insolvency Practitioner on behalf of a debtor who had proposed a PIA. The arrangement restructured the mortgage over 12 years, with no debt write-down and a fixed interest rate of 3% for the full term.
The PIA was contested by the fund that now holds the mortgage. Following a full hearing, which was vigorously opposed, the Circuit Court judge approved the arrangement on the basis that it was proportionate, affordable, and not unduly prejudicial to the objecting creditor.
An outcome like this won’t grab headlines in the national press, but it means everything to the debtor at the centre of it. Thanks to this arrangement, he and his son will continue to have a home to call their own, one they can live in while paying a mortgage they can afford. These are the cases that deserve to be celebrated as evidence that the system works.
In this instance, the Legal Aid Board declined to provide the services of Counsel and determined that the case should be run by me as the appointed solicitor alone. I want to pay tribute to the Personal Insolvency Practitioner in the case, Ms Kerry O’Neill, who put forward a sound PIA and stood over it throughout the appeals process. The contributions of both the PIP and the debtor helped me greatly in putting the necessary evidence before the court, which proved a significant factor in the success of the case.
Cases like this are exactly why we do what we do. If you’re worried about losing your home or feel overwhelmed by debt, there is a way forward, and you don’t have to face it alone. Talk to us first. Our consultations are private, professional, and completely without judgement. We’ve helped over 600 people regain control of their finances and their future; you could be next.