Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2005
750 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason for the decision to refuse the rent allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if this practice will continue in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25323/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra757 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the correct amount of rent support payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25636/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 750 and 757 together.
Rent supplements are available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, HSE. Neither I nor my Department has any function in determining or reviewing entitlement in individual cases.
Entitlement to the supplement is determined by the HSE in the light of the circumstances of each individual case, including the cost of the accommodation. Payment is normally calculated to ensure that the person, after payment of the rent has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to their circumstances, less €13. This €13 represents the minimum contribution which applicants are required to pay from their own resources. In the case of a household which contains a non-dependent adult, such as a son and daughter with independent means, those means are taken into account in assessing overall household income, and the non-dependent adult would be deemed to contribute €13 per week towards the rent for rent supplement assessment purposes.
The Dublin mid-Leinster area of the executive has advised that the person concerned is in receipt of one-parent family payment in respect of herself and three children. She is also receiving family maintenance and has part-time employment. Her daughter, who is also in receipt of one-parent family payment and family maintenance for herself and her child, is residing in the same house. Following a routine review of the rent supplement payable to the person concerned, the executive determined that she was no longer entitled to rent supplement based on the household income situation. Her payment was terminated in August 2005. The executive has advised now that it will re-examine the rent supplement entitlements of the person concerned, and that it will notify her of the outcome as soon as possible.
