Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

93. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to remodel the mortgage to rent scheme with a view to making it more relevant to situations which pertain for persons who have mortgage debt and are unable to pay same at this point in time; if appropriate amendments will be made to the mortgage to rent scheme in order that many persons in mortgage arrears would be in a position to remain in their houses with a revamped mortgage to rent scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3678/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Up to 31 December 2016, a total of 3,575 cases have been submitted under the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme, which was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of private commercial lending institutions. Of these, 2,723 were ineligible or terminated during the process, 217 had been completed and 635 were being actively progressed. Further data on the operation of the scheme to date is collected and reported by the Housing Agency at the following link: .

A number of amendments were made to the MTR Scheme in July 2015 to enable more properties to qualify and to make the scheme more flexible and accessible to borrowers.

Notwithstanding the amendments already made, the Government is committed to supporting households in long-term mortgage arrears to remain in their homes and has included a review of the MTR Scheme as an action in Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. The review, now in its final stages, is examining how the scheme can work better for borrowers; details of the outcome of the review will be announced in due course.