Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 April 2005
214 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the methodology of calculating rent subsidy as determined by community welfare officers in regard to areas of County Kildare; the credence which is given to proximity to Dublin in regard to rented accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13714/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra215 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons in receipt of rent subsidy in County Kildare; the total cost of such subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13715/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together.
Rent supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. To qualify for a rent supplement an eligible person must satisfy a means test. Rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that an eligible person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to his or her family circumstances, less a minimum contribution, currently €13, which a recipient is required to pay from his or her own resources.
In determining entitlement to a rent supplement the Health Service Executive must also satisfy itself that an eligible person has a genuine accommodation need, which he or she cannot provide for from an alternative source, that the property being rented is suitable to his or her needs and that a bona fide tenancy exists between the applicant and his or her landlord. A further condition for receipt of rent supplement relates to limits on the level of rent an applicant can incur. The purpose of these rent limits is to ensure that the executive is not subsidising the cost of overly large or expensive accommodation.
The maximum levels of rent supported under the scheme for the period to 30 June 2005 are prescribed in regulations made under the Social Welfare Acts, Statutory Instrument No. 727 of 2003. These statutory rent limits differ across the various executive geographic areas to ensure that the rent being sought is reasonable and reflects local market conditions. In this regard, the limits that apply in Kildare are the same as those in Dublin.
Within each area, varying limits are specified also according to household composition, with scope for any special or exceptional circumstances of an applicant to be taken into consideration by the executive in determining the amount of rent supplement payable in a particular case.
As of 22 April 2005 there are 2,345 rent supplements in payment in the Kildare-west Wicklow area of the executive at a cost of approximately €4.77 million to date in 2005.
216 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding rent subsidy arrears due to his Department from a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13716/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive.
The Dublin and mid-Leinster area of the executive has advised that during a routine review of this rent supplement case, it came to the attention of the executive that the person in question had been in receipt of a maintenance payment. This had not previously been disclosed to the executive. The non-disclosure of this income has given rise to an overpayment of rent supplement. The executive has written to the person concerned confirming her revised entitlement and the level of the overpayment involved. She has been asked to contact her community welfare officer with a view to agreeing a repayment schedule to address the overpayment.
217 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding rent subsidy for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13717/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive.
The Dublin and mid-Leinster area of the executive has advised that the level of rent being paid in this particular case is within the prescribed rent limits. The issue in this case arose when it came to the attention of the executive that the person in question had been in receipt of a maintenance payment, a fact not previously disclosed to the executive. The non-disclosure of this income has given rise to an overpayment of rent supplement. The amount of rent supplement payable has been reduced to take account of the increased household income and also incorporates a deduction of €5 per week in respect of the outstanding overpayment.
