Enda Kenny has promised struggling mortgage holders they'll have a deal by Christmas.

In his keynote speech at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis the Taoiseach also promised to recreate all the construction jobs lost during the economic collapse.

Enda Kenny said the government would put the same level of effort into rebuilding the economy as it did into escaping the bailout.

He said banks would be given tough targets to strike deals with all mortgage holders by the end of the year: