Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

If the Minister examines the figures, she will see there has been a very significant increase in the number of people seeking assistance with mortgage repayments. In the last two or three years it has increased by 35%. That is a fair measure of the increasing problems people are facing and the need, as Deputy Durkan said, to change the scheme to facilitate the reality of what is happening. The rule is that where one member of a couple is in employment, no assistance can be given. With the increase in low income couples in recent times due to low wage jobs, very many families are in a situation where one member of the couple is working but they are still not managing to make ends meet. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and other groups have identified the working poor as an important phenomenon. In that regard, I ask the Minister if she would consider the rules in respect of people who are working being debarred from receiving any kind of assistance because that is unrealistic in this day and age.

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