Citizens of Ireland should not be held liable for the reckless gambling of privately controlled institutions – i.e. the banks.

I *didn’t* take out a foolishly large mortgage and I rent. I’d like to own my own place, but can’t right now, as prices are too high.

I sure as HELL don’t want to see debt relief (essentially free houses) for those who signed up to foolishly large mortgages. That’s monstrously unfair to those of us who did not act recklessly.

Let the banks take back all the housing. They won’t want it, and the value of houses will quickly drop to what it really ought to be.

What is Nama?
A bailout for developers, i.e. Johnny Ronan and other friends of Berti the Cupboard.
Who is footing the bill?
The Irish taxpayer.
Why does the “big guy” get help and the little guy doesn’t?
Because the ” elite’s big guys1″ plays golf with TDs. Their kids go the elite private schools (funded by Irish taxpayer to the tune of 100 million euro).
Some of Nama’s biggest debtors are “not co-operating” with poor Frank Daly. These “bold” boys owe 27 billion of loans and Frank wants them to “co-operate” I’d have them “co-operating” from a Tower of London type cell.
One law for the little guy and another law for the “elite”

In some cases the only way someone could buy a house was the bank giving them the money. How hard was it before the bubble and how hard is it after the bubble?

The government was warned of the bubble bursting, the banks new the risks. And those who were renting in an expensive market wanted a home of their own.

The banks couldn’t give the money away, and they knew the risks better than anyone. Yet the banks still have jobs, and golden handshakes, and bonuses there were agreed on. They get the bailout and keep their jobs, and if they leave after ruining the country, they get a nice payoff.

The taxpayer should not have to pay for the reckless lending of the banks and the foolish borrowing by some individuals. The only equitable solution is to force the banks to agree a rescheduling of debt with each borrower so that they jointly shoulder the burden. So it might take 40 years instead of 20 or 25 years to pay back the loan. In all likelihood in that time property prices will have recovered somewhat.

We are the state. Unfortunately, we are also, in some cases, the banks. The people aren’t getting their money back. Thanks Bertie.

Why should bondholders be burned but not depositors?
The principle is exactly the same.
Both are investors in the banks.
Both are private financial interests.
Only a hypocrite would argue that one group should be burned but not another.

for pete’s sake! it’s like those idiots who tried to sue MacDonald’s about becoming too fat from eating their food!

The banks are bankrupt anyway, so if enough mortgage holders stopped paying their mortgage, the banks would finally fold and those who can’t pay would be safe.
I never got sucked into the property bubble so have no axe to grind, and I do ultimately think people must take responsibility for their actions, but, banking cartels are ruining this country and Fiat currency is only a few years from collapse. The dollar is practically useless and the Euro has been on the edge for at least six months. The ECB seems to be at the root of our banking problems, by not paying mortgages our banks cannot pay the ECB which will eventually cut them out of controlling our country. Yes the ECB has helped finance the building of this country but they too have handed out cheap money for too long, they took a risk and the risk didn’t pay off.

I would say ‘Yes! The banks should pay’ but seeing as we’ve been tied to them and we’ll be picking up the tab I’m very much so against it.

I voted Banks and State, but I don`t believe the state should pay.
I think the banks only should pay.
How many sub-prime mortages given in the US does NAMA own?
The banks were the last in on the Global pyramid scheme and they got caught.
Irish homeowners got caught up in the hype, “Everyone is doing it” and unfortunately a lot of them got caught not through any fault of their own.

A NAMA that helps bailout homeowners that can’t afford to pay mortgages they took out because of rising interest rates and unemployment.

Talk of Ireland defaulting on loans, businesses being propped up by NAMA.

Should homeowners default on their mortgages? Puts things in perspective.

We are the state. If the state has to pay? The banks are nationalised. We own them. We have to pay…