Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. One of the major problems we are facing relates to the fact that just over 100,000 people are in receipt of either rent subsidy or rent allowance. This has become part of the housing list, and people who are on the rental allowance scheme, RAS, are being taken off said list. Some people have been in receipt of rent subsidy for between seven and ten years. This is a matter we must address. It is madness to be spending €580 million per year on rent subsidy when we have all of these properties, which are now going to be leased. I do not think this is the correct route to take because it will not give value for money. We are rewarding those who have let us and the taxpayer down. These individuals are involved with NAMA and they owe the State a huge amount of money. However, they will end up being paid and, in many instances, the properties in question will be returned to them when the leases run out. That is a scandalous way of operating.

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