Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There are approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. Following the most recent review of the private rental market, revised maximum rent limits were introduced from Monday 17 June 2013 until 31 December 2014. For all counties, major urban population centres were tested to ensure access to housing and value for money. The Department used information from tenancies registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board, PRTB, to analyse actual costs in each county. The purpose of the most recent review is to ensure availability in the areas required, not to provide access to housing in all areas.

Despite pressures on the social protection budget, there have been increases in the rent limits in some areas, including Dublin and Galway, as well as reductions or no change in others. The limits for counties Waterford and Kilkenny reflected the respective prevailing rental markets and analysis shows there are properties available within these limits. I am fully aware that in some areas, particularly Dublin, prospective tenants are finding it increasingly difficult to secure accommodation due to reduced availability of supply. Increasing rent limits will not resolve this difficulty and would result in additional increases in costs for everyone who is renting, including those who are at work and who pay their rent out of their wages.

The Department continues to monitor trends in the private rental market. Its officials have considerable experience in dealing with clients of the scheme and continue to make every effort to ensure their accommodation needs are met. The Department’s strategic policy direction is to transfer responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need to local authorities under the housing assistance payment, HAP. Officials are working closely with those in the lead Department, namely, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in piloting HAP in Limerick with further roll-out to selected local authorities during the year.

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