Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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749. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason for limiting the terms of the mortgage to rent scheme to only those persons that qualify for social housing; his plans to extend the scheme in order that persons with distressed mortgages may qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39749/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Mortgage to Rent scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who are eligible for social housing support whose mortgage is unsustainable and who have very limited options, if any, to meet their long-term housing needs themselves.  One of the main criteria underpinning the MTR scheme is that it is a social housing option and therefore it is targeted at those borrowers in arrears who qualify for social housing support as prescribed by the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011.  A review of the income eligibility limits for social housing supports, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda as set out in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, is scheduled to commence later this year.

The Mortgage to Rent scheme is a social housing option and, therefore, is only open to borrowers who qualify for social housing support.  The Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service, Abhaile, is available to assist borrowers to explore their options.  The Abhaile communications campaign is aimed primarily at securing engagement and solutions for those in the longest arrears and who are not engaging with their lender and seeks to overcome the fear and anxiety associated with such circumstances, and to ensure that borrowers are made aware of the range of supports available to them.