Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 7 May 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht

Current Housing Demand: Discussion (Resumed)

1:50 pm

Mr. Tom McHugh:

What I have said is the local authority is not subject to the social welfare caps that are in place. We base our arrangements on a discounted current market value. I understand those rent caps are being reviewed at present. They were last reviewed in June of last year. My understanding was they were not due to be reviewed for a period of 18 months but I understand that has been brought forward. At present, however, the main difficulty is the lack of supply, which means the entire market has compressed and there is increased competition for those units. At present, no units are available in our county that would be at or under the social welfare rent caps at present. I think that is all.