Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2004
239 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason persons (details supplied) in County Kildare have been informed that they cannot avail of rent allowance and have instead been offered hostel accommodation with their two children 50 miles away from their local community; if he will reserve recent punitive legislation which impacts severely on these persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5536/04]
View answerThe supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards, provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation needs.
As the Deputy is aware, I have recently introduced a number of changes to the rent supplement scheme. The principle change is that, with certain important exceptions, new applicants are required, at the time of application, to have been in rented accommodation for at least six months within the preceding 12 month period in order to receive a rent supplement.
Specific provision has been made to ensure that the interests of vulnerable groups such as the homeless, the elderly and people with disabilities are fully protected in the course of implementing the new measures. In addition anyone who is assessed by a housing authority as having a housing need and who meets the existing qualifying criteria will continue to be entitled to rent supplement.
In relation to the case identified by the Deputy, the South Western Area Health Board was contacted and has advised that at the time of application the family concerned did not satisfy the six month rule. In addition, their accommodation needs had not been assessed by the local housing authority and therefore they did not have an entitlement to rent supplement. The family was advised to contact the local housing authority with a view to having their housing needs assessed. As an interim measure they were offered temporary emergency accommodation. The health board has further advised that the local housing authority subsequently assessed the family as having a housing need and as a result their application was reviewed and a rent supplement has now been awarded.
