asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the increasing number of families who are having difficulties in meeting SDA loan repayments; if he will consider introducing a scheme through Irish Public Bodies Insurance which would protect families who because of illness, unemployment or other genuine domestic reasons are unable to meet their repayments; and if, pending the introduction of such a scheme, he will make a special allocation of funds to local authorities to enable them to restructure loans and in special cases defer payments.
Written Answers. - Housing Loan Repayments.
555.
I am not aware that difficulty in meeting local authority housing loan repayments has become a problem of significant proportions to borrowers and I have no proposals at present to introduce a scheme on the lines suggested by the Deputy. Such a scheme, if it were feasible, could, in any case, add to the cost of a mortgage and to the level of repayments.
My information is that any borrower who experiences a genuine difficulty in meeting repayments for the reasons stated by the Deputy is treated sympathetically by local authorities and that every effort is made to assist him to overcome the problem.
I might add that there are no funds at my disposal to enable me to make the special allocations requested by the Deputy.