DUBLIN (Reuters) - The number of Irish homes in mortgages arrears for more than 90 days fell to their lowest level since March 2012 in the three months through December while the number of homeowners behind in payments for more than two years rose at a slower pace.
The proportion of residential mortgages in arrears for more than 90 days fell to 10.4 percent at end-December, the fifth successive quarterly fall and down from 11.2 percent in the previous three months, central bank data showed on Friday.
The numbers in arrears over 720 days increased by 0.8 percent, the slowest increase recorded to date, however they now represent almost half of the 78,699 customers in distress for more than 90 days.
The proportion of residential investment property loans in arrears over 90 days stood at 20.7 percent at the end of the quarter versus 22.1 percent at the end of September, the biggest decrease in the category to date.