Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Public Accounts Committee
2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter 21 – Expenditure on Welfare and Employment Schemes
Chapter 22 – Welfare Overpayment Debts
Chapter 23 – Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Social Insurance Fund – Annual Accounts 2011
10:35 am
Ms Niamh O'Donoghue:
Since 2010 the minimum contribution payable by the majority of households of couples has increased from €24 to €37 per week or from €104 to €160 per month. This increase has had a proportionately larger impact on local authority mortgage recipient numbers because the outstanding capital amounts and annuity repayments are significantly lower under than standard private household mortgage arrangements. As the minimum contribution has increased, it has meant that these cases are no longer receiving support under the mortgage interest supplement scheme because the minimum contribution is now higher than the actual interest only portion of their repayment.