Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 1149: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position in relation to rent allowance from the community welfare officer for a person (details supplied); if they will qualify for rent allowance when they return; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2823/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, provides for the payment of a rent supplement to assist eligible people who are unable to provide for their immediate accommodation needs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The Executive can also provide assistance with rent deposits to enable people to secure private rented accommodation.

In order to qualify for a rent supplement a person must satisfy a number of conditions including a means test and a habitual residence condition. The Executive must also satisfy itself that the applicant has a genuine accommodation need, that the property being rented is suitable to those needs and that a bona fide tenancy exists between the applicant and their landlord.

Rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that the person, after the payment of rent has an income equal to the SWA basic weekly payment rate, less €13. This €13 represents the minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own resources.

In addition to the minimum contribution, applicants are required to contribute any assessable means which they have in excess of the appropriate SWA rate.

As there are a number of factors which need to be considered by the Executive when determining entitlement for assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, it is not possible to say whether the person in question would qualify for assistance. Should the person in question decide to move to this country she should contact the Executive in the area in which they intend to live who will advise them in relation to any possible entitlements.