Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2015
61. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when rent supplement is granted, if the given property is properly inspected in terms of health and safety requirements; and if proof of registration with the Private Residential Tenancies Board is required. [21074/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe rent supplement scheme provides support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are approximately 69,000 rent supplement recipients, for which the Government has provided a total of over €298 million for in 2015.
Under the Residential Tenancies legislation, landlords are legally obliged to register tenancies with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) within one month of the start date of the tenancy or at a later date on payment of an increased fee. For this reason, it is not practicable for the Department to insist that a tenancy be registered with the PRTB before payment of rent supplement can be made. Not all tenancies are required to be registered with the PRTB as the relevant legislation, the Residential Tenancies Act, provides for certain exceptions.
The Department works closely with the PRTB to help ensure that rent supplement tenancies comply with the statutory system of tenancy regulation and safeguards. The Department advises the PRTB, on a quarterly basis, of all new rent supplement tenancies to assist them in implementing tenancy regulations and co-operates in any initiatives taken by the PRTB to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act.
Responsibility for setting and enforcing housing standards rests with the Local Authorities. However, accommodation occupied by rent supplement tenants should at least meet minimum housing standards. Social Welfare legislation provides that rent supplement can be terminated where the Department is notified by a housing authority regarding the non-compliance with standards.
The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short term income support by transferring responsibility for persons with long term housing needs to the local authorities under the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP). HAP is being designed so as to bring all of the social housing services provided by the State together under the local authority system and is currently being rolled out to almost 2,000 recipients in selected local authority areas.
