Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 276: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on a query (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20184/08]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under Section 58(3) of the Housing Act, 1966, the making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to the following broad principles laid down by my Department:

That the rent payable should be related to income and a smaller proportion of income should be required from low income households;

That allowances should be made for dependent children including those under 21 years of age in full-time education;

That a contribution towards rent should be required from subsidiary earners in the household;

That provision should be included for the acceptance of a lower rent than that required under the terms of the scheme in exceptional cases where payment of the normal rent would give rise to hardship; and

That appropriate local factors should be taken into account including the costs of the maintenance and management of the stock of rented dwellings and the adequacy of the rental income to meet such costs.

Decisions on whether or not to disregard either a proportion of income or particular sources of income for the purposes of calculating rents are matters for each individual local authority and I have no function in such matters. In relation to the wider issues relating to housing and older people, my Department has recently established, and chairs, a cross-departmental team on sheltered housing to develop and oversee policy and to agree, as a priority, local structures and protocols for integrated management and delivery of housing and related care services. The work of this group will ultimately feed into the new National Positive Ageing Strategy, outlined in the Programme for Government.