Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In regard to the rent supplement scheme and the changeover next year to the rent assistance scheme to be administered by local authorities, is it intended that it will still be a rent assistance scheme or to accelerate the rental accommodation scheme? I do not need to go into the detail on the differences. As the scheme will require significant additional administration, is it intended to facilitate local authorities in that regard and, if so, has it been quantified? I would like to know how that can be done with a reduced budget next year for dealing with homelessness because it is not obvious that the available funds will allow for anything more to be done.

I am a little concerned about the language the Minister of State used when she stated "the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors" because that is an expanding sector. Is there something in that language that we should understand to be different from the current position?