Ms Helen Faughnan:

We spent over €2.1 million last year assisting 4,300 people with rent deposits. We have much engagement through our homeless persons unit, as well as direct contact from many of the NGOs, non-governmental organisations, such as Threshold, Simon and Focus Ireland, on the most vulnerable of cases. Through the initiative launched this morning with Threshold and the Dublin local authorities, we are moving to assist families in existing private rented accommodation whose tenancies may be at risk. While the crisis in the rest of the country is not as severe as it is in Dublin, we are issuing a notification to community welfare service staff to remind them - not that they need much reminding - about their discretion in these cases and to engage with customers at risk of losing a tenancy, including if it involves the payment of a rent deposit. The staff have much experience on the ground in determining need and helping in such matters.