Dáil debates

Tuesday, 12 June 2012

2:00 pm

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

I am opposed to State subsidisation of landlords. This is a reality, however, and is due to the lack of investment in social housing over decades since the State was founded. The Minister stated she is required to make savings and we accept that. However, the main problem, which I hope she will accept as such, is that she has passed the onus to negotiate with landlords to tenants, who are often very vulnerable, rather than to the Department or the community welfare officers who negotiate with the tenants. I wonder whether the Minister is aware that in many cases, the arbitrary figures that were implemented recently have led to tenants further impoverishing themselves by making under-the-counter payments, in addition to the payments they were already involved in, to ensure they can stay in the places where they have put down roots. I will give an example. I recently dealt with the case of a woman who has three school-going children and was living near her mother in Leopardstown. When her lease was due for renewal, the rental prices in that area were nowhere near what the community welfare officer was willing to pay. The nearest place where she could go was well out of the locality when she can avail of the family support, etc., that she requires. One of the consequences of this change is that it is forcing people to move their children from one school to another. I hope the Minister will accept the point I am making. Has she discussed with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government the possibility of using vacant NAMA properties to accommodate the rental accommodation scheme, as has been suggested? Specifically, I would like such properties to be categorised as social housing. That would be a much quicker way of reducing the rent supplement bill than passing people between the rental accommodation and rent supplement schemes.

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