Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps this question is better addressed to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Why has there been no increase in the HAP cap levels in Limerick because we have a severe problem there? There are 5,500 people on the housing list with about 40 houses available for renting as I speak.

Focus Ireland, which is at the coalface of this problem, issued a statement in the aftermath of the Government's package. It said that, "The package risks not stemming the constant flow of 70 to 80 families a month losing their homes and becoming homeless in Dublin alone. This problem is also rising now in other major cities nationwide such as Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford". Rent supplement has not been raised in three years despite rents rocketing by 30% to 40% in this period. We need to close the gap between this payment and actual rents. These households need an increase in rent supplement now to keep them in their current homes.

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