Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 461: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit or illness benefit is payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32201/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned does not satisfy the statutory qualifying contributions conditions for receipt of Illness Benefit or Jobseeker's Benefit. He made an application for Jobseeker's Allowance on 21st April 2008. His application was refused by a Deciding Officer on the grounds that he does not hold a valid work permit and therefore, is not available for full-time employment. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that they received an appeal in respect of the Deciding Officer's decision on 15th September 2008 and that the case has been referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 462: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which it is expected to offer mortgage relief in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32203/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes mortgage interest supplement, is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. A 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 Executive has advised that the person concerned has been awarded a mortgage interest supplement of €466.20 per month from 1 August 2008.