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Gnáthamharc

Social Welfare Benefits.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2004

Tuesday, 17 February 2004

Ceisteanna (427)

Jack Wall

Ceist:

513 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the period of time a person must be on the housing list to qualify for rent subsidy; if a person has to be assessed by the environmental officer of the health board or the housing officer of the local authority to which the person has applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5034/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Subject to certain conditions, the supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation needs and who do not have accommodation available from any other source.

A person does not have to spend a specified period of time on a housing list in order to qualify for a rent supplement. Anybody who is assessed by a housing authority as having a housing need which cannot immediately be met by the housing authority, a voluntary housing organisation or by the individual concerned will be entitled to rent supplement subject to the usual qualifying criteria.

An assessment of housing need may be carried out either by a local authority's housing officer or by a health board's environmental health officer acting on behalf of a local authority. The arrangements made in this regard are a matter for each local authority.

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