Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will support the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [4530/11]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Mortgage interest supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the Community Welfare Services Division of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The HSE has advised that it refused payment of a mortgage interest supplement in September 2008 to the person concerned on the grounds that the amount of interest payable was in excess of what it considered to be reasonable to meet the residential requirements of the person concerned and that it did not consider it was reasonable to award the supplement having regard to the amount of the arrears outstanding on the loan.

In March 2009, the Social Welfare Appeals Office determined that as an exceptional measure a monthly payment should be paid to the person concerned for the period September 2008 to July 2009 to allow the person time for a legal issue surrounding the property to be resolved. The HSE has advised that it provided assistance toward her mortgage for the period September 2008 to July 2009 when all payments ceased.

The HSE has further advised that as of January 2011 they understand that the person is receiving assistance from the Northside Community Law Centre and that the legal matter is still unresolved.