Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

In terms of the rate of payment, it is €800, tax-free, and does not interfere with any other benefits, allowances or social welfare benefits an individual might receive. We have to be careful in terms of interference with the private rental market, with the housing assistance payment and with other areas. We feel that €800 is probably the right area right now. It has supported the take-up in a very significant manner. It is a significant amount and it is tax-free. We do not want to pursue a measure that interferes with the private rental market.

Deputy Harkin is right when she says that the provision of more State-owned accommodation takes time. The OPW modular pilot we spoke about a few moments ago has demonstrated that good-quality, in-scale accommodation can be built swiftly. I know there has been criticism of that pilot, but from concept to people living in those homes - from this not being a type of accommodation that existed to people living in homes - took less than a year, all in. I do not know of any housing development in our country that has been developed so quickly.

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