Anybody who is overpaid should be allowed to hand back the money or he or she should have a choice whether to resign his or her Dáil or council seat.
Rent Allowances.
I am at a disadvantage and cannot tell whether that is the subject matter of Question No. 153 of 19 June.
I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me raise this issue and thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, for being present to reply. It is a simple matter and I will not delay the staff of the House. It concerns a sad case which is symptomatic of the kinds of cases that come to my attention on a regular basis. A single man who was in a relationship found that he had a malignant growth that required surgery. Subsequently, the relationship terminated and he became homeless. It is sad that there is no place for a single person in his circumstances, be it a man or woman. Society does not want to assist such people.
I know the Minister of State is a humane and caring person but I ask that the people who make decisions such as that made in respect of the single man's case should be a little more humane. The relevant health board has advised that the rent being sought in his case is €205 per week, which is almost twice the relevant rent limit for a single person of €107 per week. I do not know what circumstances are like in the Minister of State's constituency but in mine nobody rents accommodation for one person for €107 per week any more. At a minimum, tenants have to pay approximately €200 per week or €800 per month.
The Minister of State may shake his head but a person renting accommodation either has to pay his or her rent or do without accommodation – there is nowhere else to go.
I hope I have brought this matter to the attention of the Minister of State in time for the community welfare officer to take the necessary action to address what is a serious situation. Any person attempting to recover from cancer has enough problems and does not need more burdens imposed on him or her. A little humanity should be brought to bear on this situation. I ask the Minister of State to issue a directive to the relevant person in the Department to reconsider this case and recognise the marketplace in which we live. This person can live on the side of the road in the open air or he can pay rent of €200 per week for accommodation.
I am happy to answer this debate on behalf of the Minster for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Coughlan. I can read her reply to the Deputy.
I do not wish to hear it.
The health boards advise on the going rent in their areas.
They are wrong.
Allow the Minister of State to proceed without interruption.
Rents have been considerably reduced in the part of the city in which I live.
Not in my area.
Bedsits are old-fashioned in Dublin, where house sharing arrangements are the norm. The rent charged to the person referred to by the Deputy is not in keeping with my knowledge of the current rental situation. I have been told that in some cases the rent allowance is keeping rents artificially high and is acting almost as a false measure. The Deputy worked in the Department and is aware of the rules.
I well remember dealing with the health boards.
The rent to which he referred is well above the agreed relevant rent limit for a single person, who should be able to get better accommodation paying that amount, certainly in a house sharing arrangement.
I could provide the Minister of State with any number of cases where rents are double the figure I outlined.
You would nearly rent a house for that amount.
Deputy Durkan, you have made your point. If the Minister of State addressed his remarks through the Chair he may not invite interruptions.
While that may not have been the case a few years ago, the rental situation has hugely improved. I strongly urge the Deputy to recommend to the person concerned that he consider a house sharing arrangement where he will be able to find much cheaper accommodation.
The Dáil adjourned at 10.35 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 27 June 2003.