Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

We have made a genuine effort on this, in reducing the time, which will help facilitate people.

Perhaps the following has been clarified for Deputy Enright. There was a little confusion on the back to work enterprise scheme. In fact, there are now two separate schemes that can be accessed. This is an important development. There are many people, particularly those who, unfortunately, have lost their jobs in the technology area in companies such as Dell or SR Technics, who have good ideas and good initiative. They no longer, as soon as they lose their job, need to wait a particular time and they need not be actively seeking work. If they show they have a good viable idea - we can work closely with such bodies as the partnerships and county enterprise boards - then they will be given the back-to-work enterprise allowance which will allow them to develop their idea. This is an exciting proposal because it does not involve a waiting period. I accept there must be nothing more soul destroying for somebody who is well educated and who has a great commitment to the workforce to have to wait to access a scheme, and now that will not happen. I look forward to seeing how that works.

Deputies also asked about the position of those claiming benefit who were self-employed in the past. Undoubtedly the case used be that one's projected earnings were based on one's earnings in the previous year. We have long since accepted that such is no longer viable because, for many, projected earnings this year are far less than those of last year. The policy and the practice, as stated to the Department's offices throughout the country, is to look at such persons' current situation because we must appreciate these people are in particular difficulties.

The rent allowance scheme is one to which a number of changes have been introduced in the Bill but there is probably considerable scope as well to ensure that we get the best use and value from this scheme. The numbers availing of it have grown significantly, understandably through those who have already been in rented accommodation who now find that their circumstances have changed and who obviously need support, but also through the formation of new households. This has been a bit lax, with the local authority merely signing off and recording that somebody has applied for local authority housing without a full assessment taking place. Where new households are to be established the Department needs to know that they have a genuine housing need; it is important that this function would be carried out by the body which, ultimately, will have the responsibility for providing that housing which, of course, is the local authority. Then we can ensure that we support them through rent supplement.

The scheme was always meant to be a short-term measure. That also can be brought about by ensuring that the local authorities do not provide for long delays between offers of housing. There is evidence of people who turned down the offer of social housing on the basis that they prefer living in the private accommodation. Although it does not give them the security of the social housing, they might prefer the area or whatever else, and they buy time. It is important that there be more co-ordination in that regard and we are working closely with the local authorities to ensure that we are getting this.

The measures being introduced to the scheme in the Bill are reasonable. While the household contribution towards the rent is being increased,-----

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