Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 316: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding a child benefit application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and when payment will be awarded. [5524/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In the time available it is not possible to provide the information requested.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding a review of a work exemption in respect of a person (details supplied) in receipt of illness benefit. [5527/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In the time available it is not possible to provide the information requested.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 319: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on further reductions to the rent allowance; the amount of money that is allocated for the rent allowance in 2010; if she will provide a breakdown of spending on the rental allowance by Dublin postal district for 2007, 2008 and 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5546/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term 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 supplements are subject to a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant for rent supplement may incur. Rent limits are set at levels that enable different types of eligible households to secure and retain basic suitable rented accommodation, having regard to 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.

Setting or retaining maximum rent limits at a higher level than are justified by the open market can have a distorting effect on the rental market, leading to a more general rise in rent levels and in landlord income. This in turn may worsen the affordability of rental accommodation unnecessarily, with particular negative impact for those tenants on lower incomes.

A review of maximum rent supplement levels is in process and will be completed by 31st of March 2010. Preliminary findings of this review confirm that rent levels have dropped significantly and continuously since their peak in 2007 giving further scope for reductions for rent limits.

The provisional outturn for 2010 Rent Supplement is €509m, an overall year on year increase of 19m. This reflects the expected increase in rent supplement applicants in payment in 2010.

In the time available it is not possible to provide statistical information requested.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 320: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when unemployment assistance or benefit will be awarded in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5580/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In the time available it is not possible to provide the information requested.