James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 515: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will increase the aged 80 allowance by €6 to €16 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33246/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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There are about 115,000 people currently in receipt of the allowance, at an annual cost of some €60 million per annum. Increasing the allowance to €16 per week would involve an additional cost of the order of €36 million per annum. The policy in relation to pension rates in the recent budget was to use available resources to improve the position of all pensioners to the fullest extent possible rather than focussing on the position of individual groups, such as those who are over 80 years of age. Accordingly, the over 80 allowance was not increased on this occasion.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 516: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if it was standard practice for the health boards to inspect houses prior to occupation by people in receipt of rent supplement; if so, if this practice was in place in 2002; and if not, the practice there was to determine if a house was suitable to be inhabited by people approved or in receipt of rent supplement. [34078/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 517: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the house formerly occupied by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal was inspected by the North Western Health Board prior to them being approved rent supplement and moving in 2002. [34079/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to answer questions Nos. 516 and 517 together.

In order to qualify for a rent supplement a person must satisfy a means test. The Executive must satisfy itself also that the applicant has a genuine accommodation need for which he or she cannot provide, that a bona fide tenancy arrangement exists between the applicant and the landlord and that the property being rented is suitable to his or her needs.

The Health Service Executive has confirmed that while it did not inspect the premises in this case, it was provided with documentary evidence by the applicant and landlord which indicated that the house was suited to meet the accommodation needs of the person concerned. The Executive may consider that a property is not suited to the applicants needs if the accommodation does not comply with Housing Regulations. However, enforcement of housing regulations is a matter for Local Authorities and not the responsibility of the Community Welfare Service. Community Welfare Officers are not qualified to undertake this work.