Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In regard to the winding down of the rent supplement scheme and its transfer to the local authorities by way of HAP, incredible service difficulties are being endured by the 73,000 families and individuals on rent supplement. The Minister told the House recently that 50,000 of them have been on rent supplement for more than 18 months. Many of these are facing rising rents and must try to make up these rents out of their own pockets. This Minister slashed rent supplement by €200 million or €250 million and as she knows, I made a pre-budget submission to the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform asking for rent controls. I know there is no chance the Minister's Fine Gael bosses in the Government would allow her to introduce any kind of rent control, but will she give us a briefing on HAP?

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