Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

What is the reason for the difficulties and blockages that have arisen in respect of the RAS? It is my experience and that of colleagues that there are people in receipt of rent supplement for years. I accept the Minister's figure of 33,000 people in receipt of the supplement for more than 18 months, but it seems low. I am aware of people who have been in receipt of it in the long term and do not want to come off it for various reasons, often because of the location of the property they are currently renting. The payment is costing the State €500 million per year.

Is the Minister satisfied that the local authorities are doing enough to ensure there is awareness of the rental accommodation scheme? The Minister has made changes in terms of the payment of rent supplement, with tenants themselves rather than landlords bearing the brunt of those changes. Does the Minister agree that the target for this year is somewhat unambitious? Given that more than 90,000 people are in receipt of rent supplement at a cost of nearly €500 million and that there is such an abundance of vacant rental properties, the target of moving 8,000 to the rental accommodation scheme does not seem very ambitious.

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