Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 4

Written Answers - Public Housing Rental Scheme.

Noel Ahern

Question:

146 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment if house rental schemes for different estates based on demand and cost of housing can be put in place by local authorities; if a standard differential rent scheme must exist; if an economic rent based on true maintenance and service charges can be set; and if tenants, in such circumstances, can qualify for supplementary rent allowance subject to usual income regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21139/96]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Ms. McManus)

The making and amending of their rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities. Authorities have full discretion in these matters subject to following certain board principles, as follows: the rent payable should be related to the income of the tenants and a small proportion of income should be required from low income households; allowances should be made for dependent children; a contribution towards rent should be required from subsidiary earners; and provision should be made to accept a lower rent in exceptional cases, where payment of the normal rent would give rise to hardship. Local authorities should also ensure that overall rental income reflects adequately, in so far as is practicable to do so, the management and maintenance costs of the houses under their control, having regard to appropriate local factors.

As differential rent schemes are based primarily on the incomes of tenants, it would not be appropriate for local authorities to fix rents on individual dwellings purely on an economic basis. Under social welfare legislation, local authority tenants are not eligible to receive a rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.