asked the Minister for the Environment the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 has been ordered to repay a mortgage subsidy of £470 which was awarded on 27 October 1982.
271.
Written Answers. - Mortgage Subsidy.
270.
asked the Minister for the Environment (a) the reason a mortgage subsidy paid out to persons (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who were house purchasers in October last was demanded back in February when they made an application for stage two of the subsidy; (b) if the payment was made in error; and if so, if this was the fault of his Department; and if he will accept that it would impose an unjust hardship on them to accede to the demand of repayment in 21 days; and (c) the sympathetic arrangements that can be made to sort out the difficulty.
I propose to take Question Nos. 270 and 271 together.
On the basis of information furnished by the applicant, a mortgage subsidy was approved in August 1982 and an instalment of £476 was paid in October 1982. The Department subsequently became aware that information given earlier by the applicant about the source of his mortgage was not correct and that he had previously received a low rise mortgage from Dublin County Council. Persons who received low rise mortgages are not entitled to mortgage subsidy because this would represent a double subsidy on a mortgage. The applicant was informed accordingly and asked to refund the amount that had already been paid. If the applicant contacts my Department, sympathetic consideration will be given to accepting a refund in instalments if it is considered that the immediate repayment of the full amount would cause unnecessary hardship.