Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Currently there is a very serious economic crisis in the country. The Minister is correct. We spend between €500 million and €600 million per year on rent allowance. We also have NAMA - through which many thousands of houses are being paid for by the State and the taxpayer. Has the Minister had discussions with the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Michael Finneran, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and whatever other agencies deal with NAMA, to try to make some of these houses available to people on rent allowance instead of having the State pay twice, for NAMA and for rent allowance?

The Minister is also correct in regard to the RAS. The local authorities have failed; there is no question about it. They have failed to take people who are getting long-term rent supplement and put them on the RAS. I agree with Deputy Shortall, whose point was correct. There is an anomaly concerning rent allowance that needs to be dealt with in the coming budget in order to encourage people to take up a job on the basis that their rent allowance will not be affected. We cannot have this situation continuing which is giving a bad name to people on rent allowance.

See this speech in context