Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2006
141 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department has undertaken a study to investigate the extent to which landlords are refusing tenancies purely because they are on a social welfare payment; and if this constitutes discrimination. [37663/06]
View answerThe supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support, in the form of a weekly or monthly payment, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.
I am aware that some landlords, when advertising their property, state that they are unwilling to accept rent supplement recipients as tenants. I am concerned that landlords would refuse a tenancy purely because someone is on a social welfare payment. The Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004 prohibits discrimination in the provision of accommodation on nine grounds — these are gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community. In addition discriminatory advertising is prohibited under Section 12 of the Equal Status Act 2000. However, the refusal of tenancy by landlords on the grounds that the prospective tenant is a social welfare recipient is not in itself considered discriminatory within the meaning of the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004.
I understand that a review of the grounds for discrimination under the Equal Status Acts is to take place shortly. In this regard, I have asked that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform consult with my Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government so that the various issues associated with this matter can be considered as part of the review process.
There is no direct relationship between the State and the landlord under the rent supplement scheme. Entitlement is based on the tenant's income support needs with payment generally made directly to the tenant. The tenant's engagement with the Executive usually takes place after the tenant has reached an agreement with the landlord. As such it is not possible to identify from departmental records if refusal by landlords to accept rent supplement tenants is causing difficulties for those trying to find accommodation.
I would also point out that the amount of accommodation available for rent has increased significantly in recent years and this has had a positive impact on rent levels. Despite recent increases in rent levels the Central Statistics Office Privately Owned Rent Index shows that rent levels for September 2006 were in line with those which applied in August 2002. The fact that there are currently over 60,000 rent supplement recipients, an increase of around 15,000 recipients since 2001, indicates that there are significant numbers of landlords who are willing to accept people in receipt of rent supplement as tenants. 35,000 new rent supplement claims were awarded between January 2006 and October 2006. This suggests those in need of assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme are able to access accommodation.
