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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Mortgage Arrears.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to raise this issue, which increasingly demands our attention, and I also thank the Minister for coming to the House to respond to it.

This case has been going on for some time and, strictly speaking, I should not have to raise it in the House at all. It is a simple issue of a public representative writing to the relevant authority to seek assistance for a person in need. This lady separated from her husband four and a half years ago. At that time she had accrued some arrears but that was through no fault of her own. She and her husband had a shared ownership loan, giving the local authority a considerable equity in the property in question and there was no difficulty re-adjusting the payments when her income was determined. The arrears, however, still remained.

The manner in which this issue was dealt with is the matter I wish to raise. I was a member of a health board for 15 years and I have been making representations for constituents for 27 years and I was appalled recently to get a smart ass letter in reply to my representation that pointed out how the respondent would deal with the matter in future. As I pointed out to him, I made representations to the responsible authority and I do not want consultations with anyone else. I do not want to write to MABS, the credit union or the bank. I responded in the correct way.

In the past few days I had occasion to send a reminder. The Minister will say that the community welfare section of her Department made an attempt to contact the lady in question in the last few days. Of course it did and I know why. My first acknowledgement from the relevant health authority was on 23 December 1999. With no disrespect to the officials concerned, and this does not reflect on the Minister, there was only one way to deal with such nonsense.

It is time we recognised that assistance for a good household manager, like this lady, who is on a tight fixed income, is the responsibility of the community welfare officer and, in saying that, I mean no disrespect to MABS.

This is a landmark issue and similar cases will arise but I hope I will not have to bring them to the attention of the House. I am sure the Minister would not want me to, but that will not deter me if I have to.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. In the context of what the Deputy has raised, he is aware that under the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a health board may make a single payment to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of weekly income. These payments are known as exceptional needs payments. Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or health board payment. These are made at the discretion of the health board taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of each individual case and neither I, as Minister, nor the Department have any function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.

The board was contacted and has advised that the Deputy contact the superintendent community welfare officer on behalf of the person concerned to inquire if assistance could be provided under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme with regard to the outstanding arrears to which he has averted. The Deputy was advised that the board has an action plan which is used to provide assistance in cases such as the one in question where a person finds themselves in debt due to outstanding mortgage arrears.

In the first instance – I hope the Deputy does not fly off the handle – the person is advised to contact the local money advice and budgeting service. It is an excellent service and I ask that the person involved at least make an approach to it. The service would facilitate progress in the context of working with the county council, and perhaps Deputy Durkan, to deal with the difficulties, and perhaps arrange a mutually acceptable revised repayment schedule which takes account of the individual's financial circumstances.

One of the difficulties was between the Deputy and the health board as opposed to the action plan. I re-emphasise the necessity of going to the money advice and budgeting service. I have been advised by the community welfare officer that he – I think it is a he—

It is a he.

He is willing to facilitate this person financially and would appreciate if she would join the money advice and budgeting service. In the circumstances, I could facilitate the Deputy in setting up a meeting with the service advisor in consultation with the community welfare officer. We might then be in a position to have the relevant financial assistance made available to the person involved and perhaps could look at whatever other repayments may be available.

It is only £900.

The community welfare officer would have an action plan looking not only at the arrears but also at the future repayments this person would have.

She will not have any problem.

The service is there and I ask her to make use of it. If she contacts the community welfare officer, he will be in a position to give financial assistance to her. I cannot direct the community welfare officer to make a payment. Within the regulation, it is up to that officer to make a discretionary decision as it is with regard to the superintendent. If I can facilitate the Deputy, I will do so tomorrow.

It is just £900.

The Dáil adjourned at 11.25 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 12 December 2002.

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