Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Public Accounts Committee
2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter 21 – Expenditure on Welfare and Employment Schemes
Chapter 22 – Welfare Overpayment Debts
Chapter 23 – Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Social Insurance Fund – Annual Accounts 2011
11:35 am
Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Is there an argument for putting all that responsibility on local authorities, for example, so that they could become the paymasters? As a result of the way our social housing has developed, many more people are living in private rented accommodation than was the case 20 years ago. The system is not very satisfactory for a number of reasons, although the problem has been dumped on Ms O'Donoghue's shoulders. I have concerns about that area.
The next issue is not entirely within Ms O'Donoghue's ambit but it is no harm for her to be aware of it. Some of the people who bought properties to rent to others are in serious trouble with mortgage payments. I do not know how widespread is the practice but there are cases where landlords will lose the property because the mortgage is not being paid. My concern is what will happen to the tenant. Although I am not sure how widespread the problem is, in other cases the landlord will not take anybody on the housing list. What happens if a house is sold? Has the Department of Social Protection considered the issues that may arise in this respect? The Government is facing one of its most serious challenges in the problem of people not being able to pay mortgages. It is a particularly acute problem for some people who may have bought multiple properties to the one they use.
There is another concern with regard to poverty traps, where it may be difficult for people to work because they would lose rental allowance. Is there any work being done by the Department, in conjunction with councils, in trying to progress the rental accommodation scheme, which puts tenants in a better position in that they can work while paying rent. I appreciate that there are many issues and some are not on the shoulders of the witness. The issue should be grappled with because I am very concerned. There may not be enough housing available for people on the housing list and we must get people out of poverty traps.