Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 March 2013
387. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a local authority tenant who has been sentenced to time in prison is required to keep up rent payments during their prison term or if a family member is required to do so on their behalf to ensure their tenancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15109/13]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 614 of 6 June 2012. A decision on whether a person who has been sentenced to prison is liable to pay rent on their local authority house while serving their sentence is a matter for the housing authority concerned. Having examined the practice across a number of authorities, my Department’s understanding is that where a person who has a local authority tenancy receives a custodial sentence the local authority will look at the individual circumstances of the case, as well as taking into consideration any remaining household members, to determine whether to continue with the tenancy and, if so, what level of differential rent will apply.
