Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also wish to focus on Fingal, which is an area close to home for the Minister and me. The issue in question is the rent cap for accommodation for lone parents with one child, which is currently €775 per month. I am aware of the case of a person who has been in accommodation for the past seven years. The rent was reduced previously, she negotiated it down to €950 and it has now been reduced to €775. There is no way that person can stay in her home with her child unless she gets help from her family and lies on her application and her landlord is prepared to lie as well. That is the position the Minister has forced people into by having rent limits that are completely out of line with market rents. Her officials have admitted that. I welcome her statement today that a revision of rents will be announced next month, but will she give an instruction to her officials between now and the introduction of the new levels not to move against any existing tenants who are in the process of having their rent supplement applications reviewed or are appealing an earlier decision to refuse it on the basis of the level of the rent? Will she give a very clear instruction to officials to hold off and not make people homeless because of delays in the Department in coming up with the new levels?

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