I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 163 together.
Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting some 49,700 recipients for which the Government has provided €267 million for in 2016, approximately €22.3 million per month. A breakdown of rent supplement recipients by county is provided in the following tabular statement.
In recognition of supply difficulties for suitable rentable housing stock being experienced throughout the State, my Department has implemented a targeted policy approach that allows for flexibility where landlords seek rents in excess of the limits for both existing customers and new applicants to the rent supplement scheme. This has ensured that over 4,400 rent supplement households have been able to retain or acquire rented accommodation through increased rent supplement payments during 2016. A county breakdown of these payments is provided in the tabular statement.
The number of rent supplement tenancies transferred directly to the new housing assistance payment, HAP, scheme is almost 5,300; approximately 35% of the 14,960 tenancies currently in receipt of HAP. A county breakdown of these cases is provided in the following tabular statement.
In tandem with the revised rental limits introduced in July 2016 and on-going transfers to HAP, my Department will continue to implement a targeted, flexible, case-by-case approach where rents may exceed the appropriate maximum limit ensuring where possible the threat of homelessness for tenants can be avoided.
Table 1: Rent supplement Recipients by County – End October 2016
COUNTY
|
RECIPIENTS
|
%
|
CARLOW
|
651
|
1.3%
|
CAVAN
|
366
|
0.7%
|
CLARE
|
495
|
1.0%
|
CORK
|
5,249
|
10.6%
|
DONEGAL
|
501
|
1.0%
|
DUBLIN
|
20,842
|
41.9%
|
GALWAY
|
2,643
|
5.3%
|
KERRY
|
1,571
|
3.2%
|
KILDARE
|
2,724
|
5.5%
|
KILKENNY
|
358
|
0.7%
|
LAOIS
|
875
|
1.8%
|
LEITRIM
|
286
|
0.6%
|
LIMERICK
|
1,021
|
2.1%
|
LONGFORD
|
396
|
0.8%
|
LOUTH
|
959
|
1.9%
|
MAYO
|
1,126
|
2.3%
|
MEATH
|
1,097
|
2.2%
|
MONAGHAN
|
205
|
0.4%
|
OFFALY
|
595
|
1.2%
|
ROSCOMMON
|
566
|
1.1%
|
SLIGO
|
308
|
0.6%
|
TIPPERARY
|
1,006
|
2.0%
|
WATERFORD
|
662
|
1.3%
|
WESTMEATH
|
1,312
|
2.6%
|
WEXFORD
|
1,992
|
4.0%
|
WICKLOW
|
1,929
|
3.9%
|
Grand Total
|
49,735
|
100.0%
|
Table 2: Rent supplement Uplifts Awarded by County for 2016 (to 14 November 2016)
COUNTY
|
Awards under National Tenancy Sustainment Framework
|
Awards under protocol with Threshold
|
Total no. of increased payments by County
|
CARLOW
|
46
|
|
46
|
CAVAN
|
39
|
|
39
|
CLARE
|
0
|
|
0
|
CORK
|
210
|
22
|
232
|
DONEGAL
|
0
|
|
0
|
DUBLIN
|
1,673
|
732
|
2,405
|
GALWAY
|
91
|
2
|
93
|
KERRY
|
133
|
|
133
|
KILDARE
|
292
|
3
|
295
|
KILKENNY
|
23
|
|
23
|
LAOIS
|
18
|
|
18
|
LEITRIM
|
48
|
|
48
|
LIMERICK
|
0
|
|
0
|
LONGFORD
|
183
|
|
183
|
LOUTH
|
74
|
|
74
|
MAYO
|
0
|
|
0
|
MEATH
|
158
|
0
|
158
|
MONAGHAN
|
0
|
|
0
|
OFFALY
|
12
|
|
12
|
ROSCOMMON
|
37
|
|
37
|
SLIGO
|
1
|
|
1
|
TIPPERARY
|
109
|
|
109
|
WATERFORD
|
34
|
|
34
|
WESTMEATH
|
245
|
|
245
|
WEXFORD
|
13
|
|
13
|
WICKLOW
|
245
|
3
|
248
|
Grand Total
|
3,684
|
762
|
4,446
|
Table 3: HAP cases transferred from Rent Supplement (14 November 2016)
County
|
HAP Cases Transferred from Rent Supplement
|
Carlow
|
255
|
Clare
|
331
|
Cork
|
1,295
|
Donegal
|
516
|
Dublin
|
516
|
Galway
|
150
|
Kildare
|
269
|
Kilkenny
|
214
|
Limerick
|
540
|
Louth
|
391
|
Mayo
|
108
|
Meath
|
42
|
Monaghan
|
17
|
Offaly
|
3
|
Sligo
|
35
|
Tipperary
|
335
|
Waterford
|
247
|
Grand Total
|
5,264
|