Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 942: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent support will be offered to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1184/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the department by the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people 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.

Rent supplement is subject to a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant may incur. Rent limits are set at levels that enable different eligible household types to secure and retain basic suitable rented accommodation, having regard to the different rental market conditions that prevail in various parts of the State. The objective is to ensure that rent supplement is not paid in respect of overly expensive accommodation having regard to the size of the household and market conditions.

The Executive had advised that rent supplement in excess of the maximum limits applicable to the circumstances of this particular case, was paid as an exceptional measure on 22 December 2008 for a three month period from October 2008 to December 2008. The person concerned has been advised that the current rate of rent supplement will be paid to the end of March 2009 in order to allow her further time to secure accommodation within the prescribed rent limits. It is open to the person concerned to contact the community welfare officer at the local health centre to discuss her entitlement to rent supplement.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 943: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position on the payment of supplementary welfare allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1186/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive has advised that the payment of supplementary welfare allowance in this case is currently under review with the Executive's Appeals Office. The person concerned will be informed of the Appeals Officer's decision in due course.