The Finance Minister says family homes will only be repossessed in the most extreme cases. But Michael Noonan says there will be a significant increase in repossessions of buy to let properties.

He is taking leaders questions in the Dáil this morning where the coalition plan to help people who cannot afford their mortgages has come under attack from the opposition.

The Central Bank announced yesterday that it will impose tough new targets on lenders to deal with mortgage customers struggling with arrears.

 Loan restructuring for 20% of long-term arrears

As part of a wide-ranging plan the main banks were told that they must meet the targets or face having tougher capital measures imposed on them. It is seen as a move that could restrict what they do.

Under the plan AIB, ACC Bank, Bank of Ireland, KBC Bank, Ulster Bank and Permanent TSB will have to offer long-term sustainable loan restructuring to 20% of their customers more than 90-days in arrears by the end of June.

By the end of this year long-terms deals will have to be offered to half of the banks' struggling borrowers.

The Finance Minister took to Latin to insist there will not be a raft of family home repossessions as part of the plan.