Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

Will the Minister outline any proposed changes in respect of the area as a result of all this consultation? The Minister will be aware that there are about 4,500 people in bedsits, the majority of whom are in Dublin city centre. They were described by the director of Threshold as poor quality, damp, vermin-infested firetraps, lacking basic necessities. The preliminary findings of Threshold's access housing unit's survey revealed that the biggest reason that landlords will not accept rent supplement is because it is paid in arrears, rather than in advance. Are there proposals to change that so that it will be paid in advance? It is clear that it is the biggest stumbling block. Landlords are looking for the deposit and the first month's rent upfront and if they can get someone who will pay that, they will pick them rather than the person who is on rent supplement.

Where a person makes an application for rent supplement and is refused, it takes about six weeks to assess the application. This effectively means that if the person does not get it, he or she owes the landlord six weeks' rent, which forces him or her back into homelessness. In light of the fact that between 5,000 and 6,000 people are homeless in this country, does the Minister intend to make any of these changes?

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