Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will report on an appeal for mortgage supplement submitted by a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and the reason for refusal on this appeal. [35376/08]

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. 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 Health Service Executive has advised that the person concerned applied for mortgage interest supplement in February 2008. One of the statutory conditions for receipt of mortgage interest supplement is that, in the opinion of the Executive, the person must have been in a position, at the time the loan agreement was entered into, to meet the repayments under that agreement. The Executive has advised that the person concerned was refused mortgage interest supplement as, in its opinion, the loan agreement was entered into at a time when the person concerned was not in a position to make the repayments. It is also the opinion of the Executive that the loan was not obtained for the purpose of purchasing, repairing or improving the residence of the person concerned.

The Executive has further advised that the decision to refuse mortgage supplement was upheld by the HSE Appeals Office. The person concerned has been advised of her right to appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.