Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently two Mortgage to Rent (MTR) schemes funded by my Department. A scheme exists whereby a local authority can acquire ownership of properties with unsustainable local authority mortgages, thus enabling the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant (Local Authority Mortgage to Rent). The second scheme provides for an Approved Housing Body or Private Company to acquire ownership of a property with an unsustainable private mortgage from a lender, which also enables the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant (Private Mortgage to Rent). The schemes are 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 are deemed eligible for social housing support. Both schemes are part of the overall suite of social housing options and are important parts of the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process.

Information in relation to the Local Authority MTR scheme from its inception in 2013 to end 2019 is available on my Department's website under the heading Local Authority Mortgage to Rent at the following link: During that period, a total of 497 households had benefited from the scheme and of this number 14 cases were completed by Donegal County Council.

From the introduction of the Private MTR scheme in 2012 to the end of June 2020, 691 families have remained in their homes under the scheme. Of the 691 cases completed, 1 case was in County Donegal and was completed in Q2 2020. As of end-June 2020, 1,342 applications were active and of this number 20 applications are from households in Donegal.The Housing Agency publishes, on a quarterly basis, detailed statistical information on the operation of the MTR scheme including a local authority status report which shows a breakdown of the number active, completed, ineligible and terminated cases per local authority. This information is available on the Agency's website at the following link:

A review of the Private MTR scheme undertaken in 2017 introduced a range of improvements to the eligibility criteria and its administration. In order to increase awareness and understanding of the scheme a new website, www.mortgagetorent.ie, was developed. In addition, new structures and arrangements were put in place to encourage a greater number of entities to take part in the scheme.

The implementation of the recommendations of the Review means that MTR is available to provide a long-term solution for more households in mortgage distress, where appropriate. Building on that work, and in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, I am considering how the scheme could be further improved to meet the needs of more borrowers who require long-term support with their housing needs.