Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 November 2015
53. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on rent supplement, by month, in 2014 and to date in 2015; the number of families in receipt of the supplement by county; the number of new applicants who have been provided with the supplement in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42157/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting approximately 63,000 people. A breakdown of rent supplement recipients on a county basis is provided in the tabular statement below. Over 17,200 rent supplement tenancies have been awarded this year, of which approximately 5,600 are in Dublin.
Over €298 million has been committed for rent supplement for 2015 - which represents a transfer of funding in excess of €20 million to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to support the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Expenditure to date in 2015 is in excess of €260 million and a monthly breakdown of expenditure is provided in the attached tabular statement. Expenditure on the scheme for 2014 was some €338 million.
Rent supplement is a demand-led scheme and Government will continue to ensure that the necessary funding for the scheme is in place.
Table 1: Rent Supplement Recipients by County, End October 2015
|
County |
Recipients |
|
CARLOW |
1,014 |
|
CAVAN |
387 |
|
CLARE |
1,110 |
|
CORK |
7,013 |
|
DONEGAL |
1,409 |
|
DUBLIN |
24,097 |
|
GALWAY |
3,339 |
|
KERRY |
1,631 |
|
KILDARE |
3,489 |
|
KILKENNY |
590 |
|
LAOIS |
971 |
|
LEITRIM |
326 |
|
LIMERICK |
1,651 |
|
LONGFORD |
405 |
|
LOUTH |
1,571 |
|
MAYO |
1,546 |
|
MEATH |
1,538 |
|
MONAGHAN |
272 |
|
OFFALY |
871 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
624 |
|
SLIGO |
484 |
|
TIPPERARY |
1,763 |
|
WATERFORD |
1,008 |
|
WESTMEATH |
1,429 |
|
WEXFORD |
2,321 |
|
WICKLOW |
2,017 |
|
Total |
62,876 |
Table 2: Rent Supplement: Expenditure: January 2015 To Date
|
Month in 2015 |
Cost €000 |
|
January |
27,749 |
|
February |
25,734 |
|
March |
26,825 |
|
April |
26,881 |
|
May |
26,023 |
|
June |
25,444 |
|
July |
26,784 |
|
August |
24,623 |
|
September |
25,141 |
|
October |
25,637 |
|
Total |
260,841 |
