Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 484: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if consideration has been given to altering the clawback clause in terms of persons who wish to sell properties which they purchased under the affordable housing schemes, but who can no longer afford the mortgage due to a change in their financial circumstances, but who cannot afford to sell the property due to the negative equity and cannot go on the local authority housing list as they would have made themselves homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38549/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Where a person is selling an affordable home and the clawback amount payable would reduce the proceeds of resale below the initial price actually paid, current legislation provides for the amount of the clawback payable to be reduced to the extent necessary to avoid that result. The clawback provisions do not therefore need to be amended to take account of any negative equity that may arise.

The Government has put in place a range of supports for home owners facing difficulty in meeting their mortgage repayments including a Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears which applies to all mortgage lenders; support from the Mortgage Interest Scheme under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance system; and the provision of advice on debt management through the Money Advice Budgeting Service (MABS).

In addition, the Expert Group on Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt - which published its interim report in July - is expected to complete and submit its final report in the coming weeks setting out recommendations on further measures to assist such homeowners.

To ensure that the interface between chronic arrears and the necessary social housing supports can operate more effectively, my Department is developing new regulations and guidance in the context of the social housing reform programme. This will provide that housing authorities can disregard the household's current accommodation for the purposes of determining eligibility for social housing support.