Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received for mortgage interest supplement on a county basis for the periods 1 July to 31 September 2012 and 1 January 2013 to date; the number of these applications approved and granted payment on a county basis; the total estimated annual cost of these payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15494/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Mortgage interest supplement 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 14,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €42 million for in 2013.

Information is not available on the number of mortgage interest supplement applications received during the periods specified. However, of the 14,000 mortgage interest supplement claims in payment at the end of February 2013, some 590 claims were awarded between 1 July 2012 and 30 September 2012 and 320 claims were awarded between 1 January 2013 and 28 February 2013. It is estimated that the 12 month cost for these claims would be €2.8 million.

A breakdown by county of the claims decided during the periods specified is set out in the following tabular statement.

Mortgage Interest Supplement Claims – By County

Claims Awarded from July 2012 to September 2012 & January 2013 to February 2013