Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

This section deals with the entitlement to mortgage interest supplement. As Senators have noted, the purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments on a house that is their sole place of residence. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the mortgage repayments only. The underlying principle of this legislative provision is to ensure the mortgage arrears resolution process functions alongside State supports such as the mortgage interest supplement and that the forbearance arrangement implicit in the mortgage arrears resolution process is reflected in the eligibility criteria for the mortgage interest supplement scheme. Under this provision, the mortgage interest supplement scheme will continue to provide short-term income support to those who need help with their mortgages. The change is that lenders will be expected to deal with the borrowers' immediate difficulties, which they already-----