Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1325: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount that was given to applicants under the mortgage allowance scheme as operated by community welfare officers around the country in each month over the past 12 months; if there has been an appreciative rise in the number of claimants for this support scheme in view of the recent rise in unemployment and the rise in interest rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30571/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. Mortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the mortgage repayments only. Attached is a table showing the expenditure on mortgage interest supplements by month for the past 12 months. The total number of recipients of mortgage interest supplement has increased from 3,424 at the end of 2006 to 4,111 at the end of 2007. There has been a further increase in 2008 to 6,191 at the 12 September 2008.

Overall, I am satisfied that the mortgage interest supplement schemes provide an adequate short-term "safety net" within the overall social welfare system to ensure that people do not suffer hardship due to loss of employment. Nonetheless I intend to keep the scheme under review to ensure that it meets the objective of catering for those who require assistance on a short-term basis. Developments in relation to current year expenditure are being closely monitored in the context of the Government's framework for reporting on public expenditure.Expenditure on Mortgage Interest Supplement by month for the last 12 months