Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

Members should desist from calling rent supplement a short-term payment because at this stage it is anything but. Is the Minister concerned that her Department has not come close to meeting its targets regarding the transfer of people from rent supplement to the RAS? The transfer rate is nowhere near what was expected. How does she intend to address this and when does she expect the aforementioned 31,000 recipients of rent supplement to move on to the RAS? When does she expect to reach that target figure?

The Minister is probably aware of a survey conducted by Threshold that she should take into consideration during her review. Of 172 bedsit accommodation units examined by Threshold in the Dublin area, only three were available that complied with the new regulations and accepted rent supplement. A serious problem exists at the lower level of the market regarding the amount being paid to people and the quality of the accommodation. How does the Minister intend to address this issue? While I believe there is a need for a review of rent limits, I wish to ensure that those at the lower end of the market will be protected in that review.

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