Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent allowance will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36612/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive has advised that according to its records, an application for mortgage interest supplement has not been received from the person concerned. It is open to the person concerned to contact his local community welfare officer with a view to making an application for mortgage interest supplement.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of domiciliary care allowance applications received in each of the past five years to date; the number granted, refused or pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36617/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The transfer of the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme from the Health Service Executive to this Department arose from a Government decision on 28th February 2006 to reallocate certain functions between Departments and Agencies as part of the health service reform programme.

The transfer of the scheme in 2009 took place in two stages:

- From 1st April 2009, all new claims for Domiciliary Care Allowance have been decided by the Department.

- From September 2009, the Department took over responsibility for the payment of all Domiciliary Care Allowance claims from the Health Service Executive.

The Deputy will appreciate, therefore, that this Department does not have the information sought in relation to the scheme before 1 April 2009.

In the period 1st April 2009 to 9th October 2009 a total of 2430 applications were received in the required format, of which 1688 cases have been fully processed by the Department. Of these applications, 633 were awarded while 1055 were deemed not to be eligible for Domiciliary Care Allowance. 742 applications are currently pending. Where a person is not satisfied with the decision of a Deciding Officer they may seek to have the decision reviewed or they may appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. Information on applications prior to 1 April 2009 is a matter for the Minister for Health and Children.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if mortgage support will be offered to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [36620/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive has advised that according to its records, an application for mortgage interest supplement has not been received from the person concerned. It is open to the person concerned to contact his local community welfare officer with a view to making an application for mortgage interest supplement.