Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Jul 1998

Vol. 493 No. 5

Written Answers. - Rent Supplement Schemes.

Frances Fitzgerald

Ceist:

178 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the cost of the rental subsidy in Dublin provided by the health boards in each of the years from 1993 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16666/98]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

Detailed information on the total expenditure on rent supplements by the Eastern Health Board — EHB — under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is shown in the following tabular statement. The EHB area covers Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. Statistics relating to Dublin alone are not available. Information prior to 1994 is estimated and information for 1998 is only available to February 1998.

Expenditure on rent supplements has increased substantially over the last few years. This was mainly due to increases in rent levels rather than recipient numbers. In July 1996, following the publication of the Housing Review Group Report, an interdepartmental committee was established under the aegis of the Department of the Environment and Local Government to examine the implications of transferring the administration of rent and mortgage interest supplements to the local authorities. It comprises of representatives from the Departments of Health and Children, Social, Community and Family Affairs, and Finance as well the Environment and Local Government. I understand that the committee will report shortly.

Eastern Health Board Expenditure on Rent Supplements

Year	Cost
	£million
1993	11.40 (estimated)
1994	25.99
1995	30.89
1996	35.42
1997	38.48
1998	6.55 (January and February only)