Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015
239. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to amend the limit of the rent supplement to reflect the market increase in rents; her views on recent reports published by homelessness advocates, in terms of the homelessness crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28974/15]
View answer244. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will consider increasing the cap on the rent supplement in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29060/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 244 together.
Rent supplement continues to play a vital role in supporting approximately 67,000 families and individuals at a cost of €298 million. Over 10,000 new tenancies have been processed since the start of the year, including new claims, change of address and churn within the scheme. This level of activity shows that significant numbers of people are being accommodated under the scheme.
The Department carried out a review of the maximum rent limits which found that increasing rent limits could potentially add to further rental inflation in an already distressed market, affecting not alone rent supplement recipients, but lower-income workers and students. Between rent supplement, the Rental Accommodation scheme and the new Housing Assistance Payment administered by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the State accounts for a third of the private rented market and is, therefore, a very significant player in the sector. The Department’s review of rent limits points out that the main cause of difficulty for persons renting and seeking to rent is the reduced availability of affordable private rented accommodation. In this regard, the Government will deliver a significantly increased supply of social and affordable housing through the Construction 2020 Strategy and the Social Housing Strategy.
Rather than a blanket increase in rent limits at this time, the Department has implemented preventative measures to provide for flexibility in assessing customers’ accommodation needs through the National Tenancy Sustainment Framework. Under this approach, the circumstances of tenants throughout the country, including those in the Meath area, are considered on a case-by-case basis and rents are being increased above prescribed limits (for both existing and new cases). The Department also works with Threshold’s Tenancy Sustainment service in Dublin and Cork city where supply is most acute, with plans underway to extend this service to Galway city. This flexible approach has already assisted some 2,700 rent supplement households nationwide through increased rent payments.
Where Departmental staff are notified of a threat of tenancy loss, the preventative measures are implemented as appropriate. The Department has also undertaken a communications campaign to encourage people at risk to avail of these measures. I am continuing to keep this matter under review to ensure that the appropriate supports continue to be provided in the light of valuable feedback received from various advocates working in the area of homelessness through engagement with Department officials and publications.
