Niall Collins (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 330: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who have availed of the mortgage interest supplement in each local authority area over the past five years with figures listed for each year per local authority. [43804/08]

Niall Collins (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who have availed of the mortgage interest supplement in each county over the past five years with figures listed for each year per county. [43805/08]

Niall Collins (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who have availed of the mortgage interest supplement in County Limerick over the past five years with figures listed for each year. [43806/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 to 332, inclusive, together.

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department, provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest. The purpose of the mortgage interest supplement is to provide 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.

The table shows the number of recipients of mortgage interest supplement by county, including Limerick, for the past 5 years. A breakdown of the number of recipients of mortgage interest supplement by local authority area is not available.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent support will be awarded in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43864/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.

The Executive has advised that payment of rent supplement was suspended in this case as a notification had been received that the landlord was not receiving rent from the person concerned. The Executive has further advised that following a review of entitlement, payment of rent supplement has now been reinstated.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent support will be reinstated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43865/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.

The Executive has advised that as the person concerned is in receipt of income from maintenance which had not been previously disclosed, it was necessary to review her entitlement to the supplement. Following the review, it was decided that the person concerned is entitled to a reduced rate of payment. The Executive has advised that arrangements have been made to issue revised rent supplement to her.