Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

74 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans under way at his Department to ensure that the estimates for the forthcoming budget are greatly increased in the area of supplementary welfare allowance for people living in private rented accommodation to take account of the cost of rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20100/01]

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

Under the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme payment of a weekly or monthly supplement may be made in respect of rent or mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards and neither I nor my Department have any function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.

Each health board is required to set reasonable maximum rent levels in respect of various classes of persons, e.g. single persons, couples, lone parents with one child, etc., as a basis for calculating the amount of rent supplement payable. The limits are set using local knowledge as to what constitutes a reasonable rent for private rented accommodation for various household types within and across the health board area.

These maximum rent levels are reviewed regularly by the boards to take account of fluctuations in accommodation costs observed in each area. When accommodation is no longer available within these limits, rent levels are reviewed and revised upwards, at the initiative of the health boards, in the light of their experience in dealing with claims for rent supplement.

The estimated cost of rent and mortgage interest supplement in any particular year is calculated by taking account of trends relating to the number of recipients relying on the supplements and the increases in the maximum rent levels as advised and implemented by the various health boards.

With regard to future arrangements, the Government has decided in principle to introduce a new scheme of private sector rent assistance to be operated by the local authorities, as the Deputy may be aware. One of the objectives of the new scheme will be to ensure that a full range of housing options is available to people with long-term housing needs. The priority is to provide housing solutions rather than social welfare solutions to meet the housing needs of people on low incomes. In that regard, I understand that my colleague, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, will be bringing detailed proposals to Government shortly.

Question No. 75 answered with Question No. 35.