Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Ellis for his constructive remarks and I am delighted that what we are trying to do is in keeping with what he has been advocating. We can use the available technology better to understand the real needs of individual applicants in the local authority area. We can use the information we have to help people who are in genuine need. This proposal to transfer responsibility to the housing authority for households who are in receipt of rent supplement but have a long-term housing need, represents a fundamental shift in the make-up of housing support. It is expected to benefit the households involved and the Exchequer. There is no doubt there will be saving because it might catch people in receipt of duplicate payments. That, however, is not the whole purpose of the initiative, rather it is to make the delivery of supports to the citizen better. When it is implemented I believe it will encourage job take-up by tenants who have been caught in poverty traps up to now. It will deliver greater value for money for the taxpayer and it will provide security of tenure and greater stability in the private rented market and contribute towards the creation of a higher quality private rented sector, through improved standards. In my view it will provide a better integrated and streamlined service for the citizen. I appreciate this is a complex issue and we are allowing a long lead in time. I have outlined the general principles of what the Government has in mind.

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