Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Dessie Ellis TD has called on the Minister for Housing Jan O'Sullivan to meet with families who are struggling with their shared ownership mortgages.

He made his comments following a Dáil briefing by a group campaigning for these families.

Deputy Ellis said: "I have written to the minister asking her to focus her attention on the issue of shared ownership mortgages and the difficulty many families who took part in this scheme are having at present.

"I have raised these issues before with her and she is aware of the problem but nothing has been done to support these families and aid them in keep their homes or moving on without taking on huge insurmountable debts.

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"People who took on shared ownership mortgages are now tied to homes. In many cases these homes are no longer suitable to their needs or are unaffordable but due to negative equity and the refusal of local authorities to recognise their liability they can do nothing but wait for things to get worse, as hours are cut, wages are cut and the cost of living goes up as well as their rent.

"A group has been set up with whom I met today. It includes people who are directly affected by the problems in the shared ownership scheme, their families and their representatives. They have requested a meeting with the minister and Sinn Féin wholeheartedly supports that called.

"I have been working with families locally to support them but a real state-wide strategy is needed. This is not a large group of people but they are facing real problems and the state must do what it can."

(CD)