Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the measures in place to ensure that his Department only pays rent supplement in respect of private rented properties and landlords which meet the requirements of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993 and the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. [15384/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible tenants living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are currently over 61,000 tenants benefiting from assistance under the rental supplement scheme.

Responsibility for setting and enforcing housing standards rests with the local authorities. The Community Welfare Service of the HSE is not qualified to undertake this work. However, accommodation occupied by rent supplement tenants should at least meet minimum housing standards. Under legislative provisions introduced by my Department in 2006 and 2007, the HSE can decide that a rent supplement may not be payable where it has been notified by a housing authority regarding non-compliance with housing standards. These provisions support the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government Action Programme which aims to promote further improvement in private rented accommodation standards, including a review of the regulations and more effective enforcement.

Where a notification of non-compliance with standards is received from a housing authority in respect of an existing tenant, the HSE normally discuss the situation with the tenant and take whatever action it decides is necessary in the best interests of the tenant. The objective is to ensure that substandard accommodation does not come within rent supplementation. The most recent information available from the HSE is that any notifications of substandard accommodation received from local authorities have resulted in rent supplement being terminated or the refusal of rent supplement where it was not already in payment. The HSE has also provided data to local authorities in relation to all long-term recipients of rent supplement. Over 30,000 cases have been notified to date. The HSE must be satisfied that accommodation funded under the rent supplement scheme is reasonably suited to the residential and other needs of the claimant. Where the HSE becomes aware of accommodation or blocks of accommodation which appear to it to be sub-standard, it notifies the local authority and it may advise prospective tenants at that premises that rent supplement will not be paid in respect of those tenancies.

Under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, landlords are legally obliged to register tenancies with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB). My Department supports the requirement that all tenancies, including those facilitated by rent supplement, should be registered with the PRTB and is committed to working closely with the PRTB in ensuring that all rent supplemented tenancies comply with the statutory system of tenancy regulation and safeguards. To that end, my Department provides details of rent supplement payments to the PRTB to enable them identify tenancies that are not registered and to take any follow-up action necessary. My Department is committed to supporting the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Private Residential Tenancies Board in meeting their responsibilities in relation to housing standards and registration of tenancies respectively.