I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 44, 51, 77 and 176 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent or mortgage interest to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme is administered on my behalf by the health boards.
It is a condition of the scheme that an applicant must be in need of accommodation. In the past, applicants were referred to the local authority at the discretion of the health boards for an assessment of housing needs. Applicants are now referred on a more systematic basis. The intention is that local authorities will determine in all cases whether the "in need of accommodation" condition is met. I consider that it is appropriate that the housing authority rather than the health board should make such assessments.
I am satisfied that the change will benefit people in the medium term as it provides the housing authorities with a more accurate picture of the long-term housing needs of those living in its area.
A working group was established under the Sustaining Progress agreement to facilitate engagement with the social partners in relation to monitoring the impact of the changes made to the rent supplement scheme. The working group, which was chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, included representatives from ICTU and the community and voluntary pillar as well as my Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
The group concluded that the measures introduced in the 2004 budget were not having any significant adverse impacts. It was satisfied with the exclusion of the spouse or partner of a person in full-time employment from receipt of rent supplement. It was also satisfied with the design of the measures introduced including the operation of the appropriate levels of discretion by the community welfare officers. I do not consider it necessary to amend this measure at this point in time.
I have accepted the recommendation in the report of the social partners working group that the measures should continue to be monitored and evaluated. In that regard, the group has reconvened and will advise me on any further actions that may be needed in this area.
In the meantime I recently announced two changes in the conditions for receipt of rent supplement which will come into effect from January 2005. In future, rent supplement may remain in payment until a third offer of local authority accommodation has been refused. Also, the six months rule has been abolished and has been replaced by new measures in order to ensure that bona fide tenants who experience a change in circumstances are not disadvantaged.
A formal circular, which will issue to the community welfare staff, relating to changes in the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is in the course of being drafted in my Department. This will be issued later this month.
A fundamental appraisal of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in which all of its aspects are being examined with the aim of improving customer service and administrative efficiency is also under way in my Department at present. The question of producing more detailed user friendly guidelines in relation to rent and mortgage interest supplement will be considered in that context.