Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, further to his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 116 of 22 November 2007, the reason his Department has failed to address the issue of arrears of €2,000 in respect of rent which can only be resolved by means of a once off payment to meet their exceptional needs; if he will address this aspect of the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5799/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive has advised that the person concerned is in receipt of a rent supplement (in addition to a one parent family payment) at the maximum rate payable appropriate to her circumstances. The Executive have further stated that the person concerned was advised by the Community Welfare Officer (CWO), to contact the local Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS). The person concerned met the MABS representative in January 2008 in order to discuss her situation. A number of options relating to the repayment of the rent arrears were discussed and the person concerned was asked to contact the MABS office again to discuss these options further. The MABS office in Kildare has informed my Department that the person concerned contacted the MABS office last week with a view to arranging a resolution to the issue.

Additionally my Department has asked the CWO to contact the person concerned again to arrange a meeting to see if her circumstances have changed since their last meeting. The CWO has already advised the person concerned that she should proceed with an agreed course of action, in consultation with the MABS.