Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 557: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the regularity with which inspections are carried out on properties which are covered by rent supplement; the criteria these properties must meet in order for rent supplement to be paid; if her attention has been drawn to the appalling conditions of many properties which come under this scheme; the action she will take to remedy this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22568/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on behalf of the Department 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 scheme.

The community welfare service must satisfy itself that an applicant for rent supplement 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. In determining whether the accommodation is suited to the person's accommodation needs, a community welfare officer must establish the household composition, the size of the accommodation unit and identify any special needs that the person may have. As part of this process, the officer may carry out a visit to the residential premises in question. This home visit may also be used to confirm the applicant's residence at the address in question.

The community welfare service may consider that a property is not suited to the applicant's needs if the accommodation does not appear to meet minimum housing standards. However, responsibility for setting and enforcing housing standards rests with local authorities. The community welfare service is not qualified to undertake this work.

Under legislative provisions introduced by the Department in 2006 and 2007, the community welfare service 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. Where the community welfare service 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.

Details of long-term rent supplement tenancies are provided to local authorities via the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Over 30,000 cases have been notified to date and this information sharing assists in enforcing housing standards. In addition, details of rent supplement tenancies are provided to the Private Residential Tenancies Board in order to ensure that tenancies are registered with the Board by landlords. Revenue generated from registration of new tenancies supports the inspection of housing standards.

The Department is committed to supporting the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government Action Programme which aims to promote further improvements in private rented accommodation standards, including a review of the regulations and more effective enforcement.