Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of households currently in receipt of mortgage interest relief; the number of applications received in each year in the past three years to date; the number approved, refused, granted on appeal or pending in respect of the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50143/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Mortgage interest supplement (MIS) provides 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. There are approximately 16,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €51 million for in 2012.

Statistics are not available on the number of mortgage interest supplement claims received for the past 3 years and to date in 2012 or the outcome of those applications. However, I have set out below a tabular statement showing the number of mortgage interest supplement claims awarded in each of the past 3 years and to date in 2012.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there are 2,226 supplementary allowance appeals pending at this time. Statistics in respect of mortgage interest supplement, as distinct from overall supplementary allowance appeals in general, are not maintained until the issue under appeal is decided by an Appeals Officer. I have set out below a tabular statement showing outcomes of appeals made in the past 3 years and for the ten months ending October 2012 to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for Mortgage Interest Supplement.

TABULAR STATEMENT

Details of claims awarded in 2009 to 2012

Mortgage Interest Supplement Appeals

* Due to the integration of the Community Welfare Service Appeals into Social Welfare Appeals Office on 1 October 2011, Mortgage Interest Supplement Appeals are made directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office from that date.