Ms Jackie Harrington:

We are providing flexibility for new applicants to the scheme as well as existing applicants. Our rent limits have been in place for some time. In areas such as Dublin, payments are being made in excess of the limit. Under the rent supplement scheme, a formal or statutory decision is only made regarding entitlement once a person has engaged in the lease and it is determined that a bona fide tenancy is in place. We encourage people to engage with the community welfare service in terms of the flexibility that is there. Our community welfare service, given its local knowledge, is in a position to make a determination on what is reasonable rent. It can also determine what kind of accommodation a person may qualify for in terms of family size and so on. I would suggest in those cases that people make contact with the community welfare service - although a formal or statutory decision will not be made on the rent supplement - to discuss the level of flexibility because flexibility is being shown to new applicants as well as existing ones.