Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 October 2012

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Ceisteanna (106, 367, 368)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

106. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the highest concentration of applications for rent assistance payments are found in areas where the subvention limit is generally lower than average market rent rates; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that more than 50% of people on housing waiting lists are concentrated in just seven counties; if she will agree that there is a significant relationship between the two statistics; if she is developing proposals to tackle the rent assistance pressure points around the country such as the Leixlip, Celbridge, Maynooth area of Kildare where rent assistance subvention limit is clearly beneath the average market rents in the area; if she will provide any information on discussions she may have had with the Department the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding the use of National Asset Management Agency properties to alleviate rent assistance pressure points; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44569/12]

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

367. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans, if any to re-examine the maximum rents currently in place throughout County Kildare with particular reference to Celbridge, Leixlip and Maynooth, in view of the fact that the current maximum rent limit of €725 is not realistic as the locations in question are majorly affected by student rental accommodation and rental accommodation for local major employers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44875/12]

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

368. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if if she will examine the particular hardship caused to the people of County Kildare due to the system currently in place by her Department to determine maximum rents payable to those on council housing lists to such an extent that they cannot avail of rental properties in their local areas and must relocate to an area distant from their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44876/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 106, 367 and 368 together.

There are approximately 90,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided a sum of €436 million for 2012. The aim of rent supplement is to provide short term income assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer.

The maximum rent limits were set after an analysis of the most up to date market data available. For all counties, major urban population centres were tested as part of the rents review to ensure that rent supplement applicants can access temporary housing arrangements whilst seeking employment opportunities. The emphasis of the rent limit review was to ensure that maximum value for money for tenants and the taxpayer was achieved whilst at the same time ensuring that people on rent supplement are not priced out of the market. The Department will continue to monitor rent levels throughout the country but at this point I have no plans to revise the existing rent limits.

Analysis shows that for County Kildare, there are properties available within the maximum rent limits for rent supplement recipients. The number of rental properties available in North Kildare is somewhat lower than the numbers available in the rest of the county and therefore impacts on the number of accommodation units available for rent supplement. The maximum rent limit for a couple or one parent family, with two children in County Kildare is €725.

Latest figures show that there are currently 4,329 rent supplement recipients in County Kildare. When compared with Census 2011 household data this shows that 36% of properties rented from private landlords are in receipt of rent supplement in County Kildare. Figures also show that there are over 900 rent supplement recipients in the Leixlip, Maynooth and Celbridge areas in North Kildare, indicating that it is possible to secure accommodation in these locations within the rent limits. A multi-agency steering group has been established to develop proposals to give effect to this transfer. The group is chaired by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and consists of representatives from the Departments of Social Protection; Public Expenditure and Reform; Office of the Revenue Commissioners; the County and City Managers Association, and the Housing Agency.

Discussions regarding the use of National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) properties for social housing have not taken place with the Department for Environment, Community and Local Government. Policy in relation to the proposed use of NAMA properties for social housing and local authority housing lists are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government.