Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to review the differential rent scheme for local authority accommodation; if he will review the decision to assess payments such as carer's allowance as means for the purpose of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41977/08]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002. 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.

In the context of the Government's statement on housing policy — Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities — I will continue to keep existing rent determination systems under review to ensure that they remain equitable. In addition, it is proposed in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008 to provide that rent schemes are subject to general regulations that will allow for greater consistency in application across the country.