Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999

Vol. 499 No. 3

Written Answers - Social Welfare Benefits.

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

106 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he has received the report of the interdepartmental steering group on a study of the disincentive effects of secondary benefits and other entitlements; if it has made any recommendations in regard to the practice of some local authorities of including family income supplement in assessing liability for differential rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2601/99]

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

The independent study of the disincentive effects of secondary benefits was concluded late last year and has been the subject of consideration by the interdepartmental group which oversaw the study.

The issue of family income supplement, FIS, payments being assessed by some local authorities as income for the purposes of determining liability for local authority differential rent payments is addressed in the report, which recommends that this practice be discontinued.

I have raised this matter directly with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. The position is, as the Deputy will be aware, that each local authority has responsibility for setting its own differential rents scheme, subject only to broad guidelines laid down by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. The Deputy will also be aware that the question of excluding any type of income from rent assessment would have to have regard to the implications for local responsibility and its financial effects on authorities, including their capacity to carry out proper management and maintenance of their dwellings.

I would hope to revisit this issue again in the light of the recommendation contained in the study.