Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 July 2004
337 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there are persons in the Dublin 1 and 3 districts, evicted by Dublin City Council during the past 12 months for anti-social drug related activities, who have subsequently been granted rent supplements for private rented accommodation in the same districts; if there is liaison with Dublin City Council on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20835/04]
View answerSubject to certain conditions, the 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 and who do not have accommodation available from any other source.
Where a local authority tenant is evicted for anti-social behaviour the health board normally liaises with the local authority to assess the most suitable solution to address the person's accommodation needs. Local authority tenants who have been evicted for anti-social behaviour are not ordinarily able to obtain rent supplement from the health board. However, the legislation governing the payment of rent supplement provides the health board with discretion to deal with exceptional cases. Having considered the circumstances of each individual case, a health board may provide assistance where, in the opinion of the board, the circumstances of the particular case so warrant.
Dublin City Council was contacted on this matter and it has confirmed that liaison arrangements are in place between the council and the health board for dealing with such cases.
