Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 438: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the basis of his comment that rent supplement supported tenancies represents approximately half of the private rental market. [27852/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently over 95,500 tenants benefiting from a rent supplement payment - an increase of 60 per cent since the end of 2007. Current data on the total number of private rented sector tenancies is not readily available from any one source; however, it is clear that the rent supplement scheme play a large role in the private rented sector.

The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established in September 2004, under the aegis of the Department of Environment, Housing and Local Government (DoEHLG) to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. The PRTB annual report states that at 31st December 2008 there were 206,000 tenancies registered representing some 354,000 tenants, it also stated that it was very pleased with the high level of compliance by landlords.

The most recent information available from the Central Statistics Office's published in 2007 indicates that there were 141,000 private rented dwelling units in 2006. On the basis of the information available it is fair to say that rent supplement supported tenancies represent approximately half of the private rental market.