Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is eligible for mortgage interest supplement payments in view of the specific circumstances that have been communicated by the person to the Health Service Executive. [13236/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Under the qualifying conditions for mortgage interest supplement the amount of mortgage interest payable by the claimant should not exceed such amount as the Health Service Executive (HSE) considers reasonable to meet the applicant's residential and other needs. Where such circumstances arise, the Executive may award the supplement for a period of no more than 12 months.

The HSE has advised that it awarded a mortgage interest supplement to the person concerned for a 12 month period from September 2009 to August 2010 on the grounds that the amount of mortgage interest payable in this case was in excess of what it considered reasonable to meet the residential needs of the person concerned. The payment of mortgage interest supplement was terminated from September 2010. The HSE has further advised that this decision has been appealed to its designated Appeals Officer and a decision on entitlement will be made in due course.