asked the Minister for Local Government if he approves of the principle whereby an applicant for rehousing (name and address supplied) who is living in rooms considered by local authorities as being suitable housing accommodation should have to pay an increased rent owing to the fact that his Department will only allow a subsidy at the rate of one-third instead of the normal two-thirds subsidy rate; and what steps he proposes to take to alter the situation.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Rehousing Subsidy.
55.
The normal rate of subsidy is one-third. The two-thirds rate is payable only in respect of the rehousing of persons displaced from unfit, dangerous or overcrowded houses, or on medical or compassionate grounds. None of these conditions would appear to apply in the case referred to by the Deputy.
Housing authorities are well aware of my views that the rent payable by a tenant of a local authority house should be related to financial and family circumstances rather than to the subsidy payable in respect of the particular house. The fixing of the rent payable by individual tenants is a matter for the housing authority concerned but as indicated in the recent White Paper on Housing, page 29, certain proposals are under consideration to induce the general adoption by them of rents related to incomes.