There are currently approximately 70,700 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for 2015.
I am aware of the contents of the report “The Daft.ie Rental Report An analysis of recent trends in the Irish rental market 2014 - Year in Review” and the difficulties people are experiencing in maintaining affordable rented accommodation in areas of high demand in the current market, including areas of County Kildare. The Department has undertaken a review of the maximum rent limits and raising rent limits may not be the solution to the problem as it is likely to stimulate further rental inflation and could impact, not alone on rent supplement recipients, but also on lower income workers and students.
The Department has measures in place to ensure that the housing needs of rent supplement customers at risk of homelessness are addressed by providing for increased flexibility within the administration of the rent supplement scheme. Notices circulated to Community Welfare Service staff reminding them of their discretionary power to award, on a case by case basis, a supplement for rental purposes in such circumstances in July and December 2014. A National Framework has also been developed to ensure that appropriate interventions continue to be provided in a consistent manner where rent supplement recipients have been threatened with homelessness due to rising rents.
The Department continues to monitor the measures in place to ensure that the appropriate supports are in place for rent supplement recipients and the Interim Tenancy Sustainment protocol operating in Dublin has being extended to include single persons and couples and to Cork city during 2015. The Department’s response to the current difficulties in the private rented market remains under close review.
