Vol. 470 No. 2
87 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Welfare the financial help which is available for carers who wish to buy out their homes from, for example, a local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18531/96]
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, mortgage interest supplements are only payable where a health board is satisfied that a person was in a position to meet the full mortgage repayments at the time the mortgage agreement was entered into. This would usually mean that a person was in remunerative employment at the time the house was purchased. If the person subsequently cannot meet the repayments, for example, through illness or unemployment, the health board can then pay a supplement towards the interest element of the mortgage repayment, provided the person satisfies the other criteria which are set out in legislation.
If a person decides to purchase their home while in receipt of a social welfare payment, they will not qualify for a mortgage interest supplement under the SWA scheme as they were not in a position to make the repayments at the time the house was purchased.
There are a number of schemes administered by the local authorities which enable people to purchase their homes. These schemes fall within the remit of the Minister for the Environment.
