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:
A 12 month restriction on the scheme was introduced in June 2012. One had to be engaged with one's bank for 12 months to access the scheme. The change to the conditionality stemmed from a recommendation of the Keane group in trying to provide a package of assistance measures for those in mortgage difficulty.
Regarding the Deputy's question on the role of the Department in yesterday's announcement on mortgage resolutions, two critical agencies of the Department, the Citizens Information Board and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, are involved in highlighting access to independent mortgage advice for persons trying to renegotiate or restructure their arrangements with their banks. These are new services that have been put in place.