Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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559. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position in relation to a mortgage to rent application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28964/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), who agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and who have very limited options, if any, to meet their long-term housing needs themselves. In addition, the household must be deemed eligible for social housing support.

I am not in a position to comment on any particular case nor would it be appropriate for me to do so. The reasons why a case may not have progressed are varied and can depend on the lender, the property or the circumstances of the particular household. If MTR is an option, it is a matter for the borrower to discuss this with their lender, who will provide all the documentation to apply for the scheme. If MTR is not an option, it will be a matter for the borrower to discuss with their lender if there are other options available to resolve their mortgage arrears situation.

The Abhaile service, formally launched by the Government in 2016, is a national mortgage arrears resolution service, provided free of charge to the borrower and its aim is to help mortgage holders in arrears to find the best solutions and keep them, wherever possible, in their own homes. The unique element of Abhaile is that it brings together, for the first time, the full range of supports and services required by borrowers in home mortgage arrears. A dedicated adviser will work with the borrower and their lender to find the best solution for their particular situation. The Money Advice and Budgetary Service (MABS) acts as the gateway for the service and can be contacted by telephoning (076)1072000 or by accessing their website at: www.mabs.ie/abhaile.