Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 341: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a review of the application for mortgage assistance has taken place in view of new interest rates in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25798/09]

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. The Executive has advised that the person concerned appealed to an Appeals Officer of the Executive against a decision to refuse mortgage interest supplement. That Appeals Officer decided that the person concerned was not entitled to a supplement on the basis that the amount of mortgage interest payable by him exceeded such amount as was considered reasonable by the Executive to meet his residential and other needs.

The person concerned lodged a further appeal to the Chief Appeals Officer of the Department of Social and Family Affairs on 26 February 2009. An oral hearing of the appeal was held on 26 May 2009. On the basis of the evidence provided to the Chief Appeals Officer, including information provided during the oral hearing, the Appeals Officer decided that mortgage interest supplement was not payable to the person concerned between 3 November 2008 and 30 April 2009 as the rate of mortgage interest payable exceeded the amount the Executive considered reasonable to meet his residential and other needs. The Appeals Officer recommended that entitlement to mortgage interest supplement for the person concerned be re-examined by the community welfare officer from a current date taking into account the new interest rate which came into effect in May 2009.

The Executive has advised that following the recommendation of the Chief Appeals Officer an application form was posted to the person concerned on 27 May 2009. The completed application form was received by the community welfare officer on 5 June 2009. The Executive has advised that payment of mortgage interest supplement and any arrears due will issue shortly. Payment is effective from 1 June 2009.