Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
372. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the powers the CEOs of city and county councils have to determine whether to raise the amount of rent charged to local authority tenants; his views on whether it is a matter for councillors to decide by way of approving the budgets of the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35280/20]
View answerThe right of local authorities to set and collect rents on their dwellings is laid down in section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of a rent scheme is an executive function. The process can be subject to the influence of elected members through the local authorities annual estimates process.
The Programme for Government commits to bringing forward a package of social housing reforms, which includes standardising the differential rents regime across the country to ensure fairness. Work on the review of the current rent schemes has been ongoing and I have asked my Department to prepare recommendations regarding the potential for a standardised local authority rents system, which I will consider in due course as part of a package of social housing reforms.
