Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - Rent Allowances.

Noel Ahern

Question:

754 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will introduce a system of control or quotas in respect of the number of rent allowances allowed in particular roads or areas in view of the fact that some areas are being swamped with rent allowance tenants, resulting in pressures and withdrawals of residential amenities available. [15704/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

Under the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993, every person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and the needs of any adult or child dependant has an entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance — SWA. This legislation provides for the payment, subject to certain conditions, of a weekly or monthly supplement, including rent and mortgage interest supplements. Executive functions in relation to the administration of the SWA scheme lie with the chief executive officers of the eight regional health boards. The question of entitlement to any of the allowances or supplements in individual cases is determined by the health board in accordance with the legislation and taking account of the circumstances of each case.

Were the health boards to introduce a system of controls and quotas as suggested by the Deputy, this would remove the freedom of choice as to where people reside and may have consitutional implications.

The Deputy might wish to note that a housing review group was set up in September 1994 under the aegis of my Department to examine rent and mortgage interest supplementation under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. This group recommended in its report, which was presented to me in December 1995, that "an integrated approach to the assessment of housing need and the allocation of housing resources should be adopted within a single legislative framework". Following the publication of this housing review group report, an inter-departmental committee under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, and with representatives from the Departments of Health, Social Welfare, and Finance, was established. The purpose of this committee is to make recommendations to Government as to how the proposal in the Programme For Government, A Government of Renewal, which contains a commitment that "all forms of social housing assistance will be administered by the local authority", can be carried out. The work of the committee is to examine the main issues arising from the proposed transfer of the administration of rent and mortgage supplementation to the local authorities. This committee will report to the Government in due course.