Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I would be very grateful if the Deputy forwarded me details of the cases about which she is most concerned. The study carried out by the Department was carried out very much in conjunction with community welfare officers, who are now officers of the Department of Social Protection. The information used was check-marked against all the county information available on rates of rent and appropriate rates.

Our housing comprises 40% of that in the housing market. There has been an extraordinary collapse in house values. Evidence from the private market shows that good tenants get reductions in rent. I appreciate it is difficult for somebody on rent supplement to face negotiating a deal with his landlord. Ultimately, however, if we overpay, we drive up rents for individuals such as workers and students, who are paying rent from their wages or parents' incomes. If the Deputy supplies me with the relevant information, my Department will certainly monitor the problem. I am determined to obtain more value for taxpayers' money with regard to rents. Given the extraordinary fall in house values, it would be quite extraordinary not to have better value available and affordability in respect of rent supplement. The evidence is that landlords are responding by giving better rental value to taxpayers.

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