Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he has examined the effect, if any, which rent supplement has on the property rental market; if he has consulted with any non-governmental bodies or organisations representing tenants and property owners on the effect, if any; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30359/10]

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. 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. The PRTB annual report states that at 31st December 2008 there were 206,000 tenancies registered representing some 354,000 tenants. It is clear that the rent supplement scheme which represents in the region of 50% of the private rented market plays a large role in the private rented sector. Accordingly, it is essential that State support for rents are kept under review, reflect current market conditions and do not distort the market in any way. Rent limits achieve this purpose. The recent changes to maximum rent limits were based on a review by my Department of nationwide rental prices in the private rental sector. The objective of this review was to ensure that value for money is achieved whilst at the same time ensuring that people on rent supplement are not priced out of the market for private rented accommodation.

The review was based on analysis on data on private rental prices supplied by the Central Statistics Office, the Private Residential Tenancies Board and publicly available data. As part of the process, the Department has received submissions and held discussions with various stakeholders within the private rented sector, including Threshold, Simon Community, St. Vincent De Paul, Focus Ireland, and COPE. Discussions in relation to rent limits were also held with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and key Local Authority representatives in the context of the transfer of rent supplement tenants to local authority provided accommodation.