New figures released by the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland have shown that in the final quarter of 2024, almost €200m was borrowed to fund car purchases.

Loans for home improvement projects also hit highs never seen before.

However, given the current economic climate, should borrowers exercise more caution when deciding to take out a loan?

Matt spoke to Charlie Weston, Personal Finance Editor with the Irish Independent and independent economist Austin Hughes about this on The Last Word.

Hit the ‘Play’ button on this page to hear the conversation.