Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 November 2013
11. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the increase in rents, particularly in the Dublin area, which is pushing beyond the reach of those in receipt of rent supplement from social welfare access to private rented accommodation. [50841/13]
View answer12. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which adequate funds remain available to her Department to meet the requirements of rent support for those families on local authority housing lists and currently renting from the private sector in view of the increased housing demand likely to lead to higher rents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50787/13]
View answer31. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to review the rent allowance caps again in view of the recent reports of rent increases in the urban centres around the country; if not, the advice she would give to the thousands of housing applicants and homeless persons who cannot find suitable accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50742/13]
View answer36. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the advice she would give to housing applicants and persons facing homelessness across the country particularly in urban areas such as Dublin where rents are increasing dramatically and where little if any private rented accommodation is available within the Department's rent allowance caps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50741/13]
View answer39. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide update on plans to transfer responsibility for rent supplement to a new housing assistance payment; the steps she will take in the interim to address the situation whereby rent supplement recipients are being priced out of the rental market in Dublin where rents have been rising steeply. [50774/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 12, 31, 36 and 39 together.
There are currently approximately 81,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided €403 million in 2013. Revised rent limits under the rent supplement scheme came into effect from Monday 17 June 2013 and will be in place until 31 December 2014. The new rent limits have been determined following an extensive review of the private rental market based on the most up-to-date data available. There have been increases in the maximum rent limits in Dublin and Galway and some reductions across a number of counties, reflecting the market conditions in those areas.
The cost of the rent limit review for 2013 is some €7 million which can be met from within the overall provision for the scheme. The Department continues to monitor rent levels throughout the country and officials dealing with rent supplement tenants will continue to ensure that their accommodation needs are met. I have no plans to further revise the rent limits at this time. The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of a short term income support. In July 2013 the Government approved the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Under HAP, responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need will transfer from the Department of Social Protection to local authorities. Officials in the Department are working with those in the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, who are leading the project, in developing the necessary legal, policy and operational requirements to give effect to this transfer. The Department is advised that following the enactment of the relevant legislation, HAP testing will be carried out in selected local authorities during 2014.
