Ms Helen Faughnan:

Coming back to the first issue, the community welfare service staff are practical. As I said, they will look at matters case by case. They have had to really inform themselves of housing matters over and above what we would have expected. They are very familiar within their own areas of different streets and prices etc., particularly with families resident in the area who now have an income need. Please do flag these cases to the Department.

On people working who cannot afford rent, the main crisis is supply. If somebody is in full-time work, the rent supplement is not payable. If they have an issue on a once-off basis or an exceptional need, we would consider that as part of the community welfare service. Under A Programme for a Partnership Government, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, as it will be known, is committed to delivering an affordable rental pilot scheme, with the tenants paying the majority of the rent from their own resources and the State helping to meet the shortfall. It is viewed that this scheme would be put in place for employed households on low to moderate incomes. It would be in addition to the rent supplement and the HAP scheme.