Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I have a difficulty because I do not see a uniform approach. For example, in Kilkenny, it is one community welfare officer versus another. It seems to depend on who one meets and it depends on the day.

I have never heard about the offer of rent in advance until today.

There is also an issue with people moving from emergency accommodation into accommodation under the RAS or HAP scheme. While the responsibility is on the landlord to provide furniture, etc., moving into such accommodation is very expensive because tenants do not have cooking or washing equipment and receive no payment from community welfare officers when they finally find a property under the RAS or HAP scheme. A girl who came to talk to me about her situation told me how for a long time after her rent had been raised, she had made the extra payment and found herself struggling. When she went to the community welfare office to explain her situation, she was told she was engaging in fraud because she was paying an amount above the rent allowance limit. I hate to be negative, but it is my experience that community welfare officers do not always show understanding and are not always helpful to those who find themselves in difficult circumstances, unless they bring with them an elected representative or somebody from Focus to the community welfare office. They should not have to rely on doing this. They should be able to visit the community welfare office and represent themselves.

On the training given or the notices issued to community welfare officers, there is obviously a major issue with the communication of the message. Unfortunately, the overall experience of persons in difficult circumstances in going to community welfare offices is negative. This means that they will not return on the issue.

May we have some contact name or information on whom to contact when these situations arise? I know that the Department will give us the facts and figures for what payments have been made, but members of the committee would agree that their experience is that tenants are not given deposits or top-up payments. When we come across such cases, whom can we contact for information? There is a breakdown in the process because based on what departmental officials are saying and our experience - it is certainly mine - there are two completely different stories.