Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
505. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, following the Cabinet decision in May 2023 to extend the rent-a-room scheme to all housing types, including local authority council housing units, he will outline if this includes housing units under approved housing bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40022/23]
View answer506. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, following the Cabinet decision in May 2023 to extend the rent-a-room scheme to all housing types, including local authority council housing units, he will state, in the case of a council tenant renting out a room under this scheme, who will be responsible for dealing with tenant-landlord disputes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40023/23]
View answer507. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, following the Cabinet decision in May 2023 to extend the rent-a-room scheme to all housing types, including local authority council housing units, he will outline if a tenant renting a room from a council tenant can take a dispute to the RTB for dispute resolution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40024/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 505 to 507, inclusive, together.
The Government has agreed to extend the Rent-a-Room Relief scheme disregard to social welfare recipients, extend the disregard into medical card criteria, and permit local authority tenancies access the scheme. The commitment to extend the Rent-a-Room Relief Scheme was included as a supplementary action in Housing for All, as reported in the Q1 2023 Housing for All Report available on my Department's website here: www.gov.ie/en/collection/9d2ee-housing-for-all-quarterly-progress-reports/#2023
An initial scoping exercise to determine how the scheme may apply to social housing tenancies has been completed. My Department has been giving detailed consideration to the specific details necessary to provide for the initiative including addressing the range of practical, operational, and legal matters arising and has been consulting with local authorities in that context.
I am currently considering proposals in this regard.
