Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 854: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount paid by her Department under the child benefit scheme in 2008 and to date in 2009 in tabular format; the number of families who benefited; the average family size of those recipients; the number of those persons in receipt of this payment where the children are living abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38460/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The table details the total amount paid under the Child Benefit Scheme both in 2008 and to date in 2009, the total number of families and children for which payments are being made, and the number of those children who are living abroad. Table 1

The average family size is currently 1.9 children.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 855: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of households in the Dublin city area who are in receipt of rent allowance; the number in receipt of the allowance in the rest of the country; the cost in each of these areas; the number of households in receipt of rent allowance who are also on the local government or voluntary housing lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38472/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The number of recipients rent supplement in Dublin and the rest of the country, together with the weekly and average cost, is provided in the tabular statement. The detail requested is not available for the Dublin city area. Information in relation to the number of rent supplement recipients who are also on the local government or voluntary housing lists. This information is available from the local authorities.

The 2009 Supplementary Budget introduced new arrangements for applications for rent supplement. In order to qualify for rent supplement, from the 27th July 2009, a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out within the 12 months preceding the date of claim and the person is deemed by the relevant local authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support.

In all other cases, a person who wishes to apply for rent supplement is referred, in the first instance, for an assessment of eligibility for social housing support by the local housing authority in the area where claim to rent supplement is made (and the person intends to reside). Only when the person has been assessed as being eligible for and in need of social housing support, does the person become eligible for consideration for rent supplement.

The aim of this restriction on entitlement to rent supplement and the new working arrangements is to ensure that housing authorities remain the principal agents both for assessing housing need and for meeting the long-term housing needs of people.

Details of people receiving rent supplement for 18 months or more are notified regularly by the Department to local authorities who operate the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). The Department continues to work closely with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and local authorities in ensuring that RAS meets its objective of catering for those on long term rent supplementation while enabling rent supplement to return to its original role of a short-term income support. Tabular Statement Rent Supplement Recipients / Weekly Cost / Average Claim Cost for Dublin and Rest of Country, as at the end of September 2009

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 856: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will support a matter details supplied. [38482/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Rent supplement is intended as a short-term income support to eligible tenants whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs. There are currently 91,600 people in receipt of rent supplement, an increase of 23% since the end of December 2008.

Rent supplements are subject to a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant may incur. 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. Maximum rent limits are prescribed in regulations and are time limited so that they can be adjusted in the light of rent levels generally.

Rent limits were reviewed earlier this year. In testing the level at which basic accommodation can be secured, the Department was informed by analysis of a number of data sources including data published by the CSO on trends in the private rental market. Rent limits and payments to existing rent supplement recipients were reduced to reflect the downward trends in the private rental market. The minimum weekly contribution that individuals make towards their rent under the rent supplement scheme was also increased to align more closely with the rents that local authority tenants have to pay.

The fact that there are 91,600 people receiving rent supplement indicates that the scheme is effective in meeting the needs of those who require support towards the cost of private rented accommodation. The operation of the rent supplement scheme is monitored on an ongoing basis and rent limits are reviewed in the light of trends in the private rental market. A review of rent limits includes an assessment of the impact of recent changes made to the rent supplement scheme and take account of the views of interested parties, including voluntary agencies working in the housing area. It is essential to ensure that state support for rent supplemented tenants, who form a substantial section of the rental market, does not give rise to inflated rental prices with particular negative impact on those tenants on lower incomes, including people in low paid employment.

The Department will also continue to work closely with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to ensure that the rental accommodation scheme (RAS) meets its objective of catering for those on long term rent supplementation while enabling rent supplement to return to its original role of a short-term income support.