Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As I said during the Second Stage debate last night, I cannot understand how the Minister has come to this decision to discontinue the mortgage interest supplement when during several years in Opposition it was Labour Party policy to extend and expand eligibility for mortgage interest supplement. It was a core element of the Labour Party's commitment to dealing with the mortgage crisis, but it is now being discontinued. I do not see the logic of this.

As the Minister is aware, mortgage interest supplement is not payable forever and a day to someone who qualifies for it. It is supposed to assist people in meeting their mortgage repayments during short periods of unemployment, which is reasonable. Discontinuance of this assistance can only lead to more people being at risk of falling into arrears. This is yet another erosion of people's social security protections. I ask the Minister to reconsider this proposal.

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