Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 244: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding a supplementary welfare allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [37647/09]

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 service of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of 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 is normally calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment of mortgage interest, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance, appropriate to their family circumstances, less a minimum contribution of €24 per week, which recipients are required to pay from their own resources.

The Executive has advised that the entitlement of the person concerned to mortgage interest supplement was terminated as his weekly mortgage interest payment of €20.13 is less than the current statutory minimum contribution of €24 per week.

The person concerned appealed this decision to an Appeals Officer of the Executive who upheld the decision to refuse mortgage interest supplement on 15 October 2009. It remains open to the person concerned to appeal the decision of the Executive to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.