Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will investigate the way income was calculated for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo, and where the means figure came from. [23740/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned was in receipt of farm assist at the weekly rate of €317.90. Her payment was based on a personal rate of €204.30, a qualified adult allowance of €135.60 and a qualified child allowance of €26.00 less weekly means of €48.00, derived from income from a holding. Following a review, a Deciding Officer has assessed her weekly means at €110.00 from 16 June 2009. Her means are derived from an increased income from a holding and capital. This decision will entitle her to a weekly farm assist payment of €255.90. It is open to her to appeal this decision and a form for this purpose has been issued to her. Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare has had their disability allowance stopped; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23757/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Disability Allowance is a weekly Allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test.

The person concerned was awarded Disability Allowance with effect from 21 April 1999. On 22 May 2009 my Department was informed that the claimant had left the State to go to the United Kingdom. Disability Allowance is not payable for any period in respect of which the claimant is resident away from the State except where the person is pursuing approved second or third level courses of education outside the State under the Back to Education Allowance Scheme, while receiving medical treatment or when they go on holidays for a period not exceeding three weeks. Notification of a pending absence must first be given to the Department. As the person concerned had already left the State before notification of her absence was received her payment was stopped on 22 May 2009.

On 9 June 2009 the person concerned informed the Department that she had returned to Ireland and asked for her Disability Allowance payment to be restarted. Her Disability Allowance payment was recommenced on 17 June 2009. A letter issued to the person concerned on 11 June 2009 requesting her to forward details of the length of time that she had spent in the United Kingdom and to date no reply has been received. When these details are received the person will be paid any outstanding monies, if due, having regard to the length of time she was absent from the State.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23822/09]

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 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.

Where two people enter into a joint mortgage agreement there is an obligation on both parties to meet repayments, as agreed with the financial institution. Where the person seeking assistance is a joint mortgage holder, a mortgage interest supplement payment is generally considered in respect of half of the interest on the mortgage. The Executive has advised that it awarded a mortgage interest supplement to the person concerned based on the full interest payable on the mortgage from May 2008 to March 2009. Following a review of entitlement, it came to light that the loan in question was a joint mortgage. Payment to the person concerned was suspended pending clarification on the details of the mortgage. The Executive has advised that it has now re-instated payment of mortgage interest supplement to the person concerned, based on 50% of the interest payable on the loan and taking account of reduced interest rates. The person concerned was advised of her right to appeal this decision to a designated appeals officer of the Executive. To date no such appeal has been received by the Executive.