Vol. 494 No. 5
65 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the progress, if any, made by the inter-departmental steering group on a study of the disincentive effects of secondary benefits and other entitlements; if, in particular, it has considered the continued practice of some local authorities of including family income supplement in assessing liability for differential rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18683/98]
I understand that the work of the interdepartmental steering group is at an advanced stage and I expect to receive its conclusions by early November.
One of the issues arising in this context is the question of family income supplement, FIS, payments being assessed by some local authorities as income for the purposes of determining liability for local authority differential rent payments.
The Deputy will be aware that each local authority has responsibility for setting its own differential rents scheme, subject only to broad guidelines laid down by the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
The Deputy will also be aware that the question of excluding any type of income from rent assessment would have to have regard to the implications for local responsibility and its financial effects on authorities, including their capacity to carry out proper management and maintenance of their dwellings.
I will be continuing my pursuit of this issue in the light of the recommendations of the group.
