Ms Helen Faughnan:

The household budgeting facility is operated by An Post for the Department. It was put in place more than 20 years ago to make it easier for people on social welfare to manage their budgets. Some 33,400 people pay their rent to local authorities and see the facility as providing valuable support to them in managing their budgets. The local property tax can also be deducted as a voluntary option for people who are in receipt of social benefit payments.

Deductions for arrears are mandatory, but, as part of one's social protection payment, rent and providing for one's housing are seen as a basic need to be met. There is a limit on the amount of arrears that can be deducted. Local authorities can work out with the tenant a viable repayment option. My colleagues from the department of Environment, Community and Local Government might want to comment further on that. Our experience is that the 34,500 people currently using the household budgeting facility see it as a good payment mechanism to support them in managing their payments.