Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 374: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the checks, if any, carried out on applicants of rent allowance to ensure that there is no issue regarding anti-social behaviour in previous tenancies and to ensure that the applicants or members of the household are not already in receipt of rent allowance elsewhere concurrently. [37111/10]

Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will arrange that when responsibility for rent supplement is transferred from the Health Service Executive to his Department, adherence to a code of conduct for tenants will be a prerequisite for eligibility and that tenants who break the code will lose the supplement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37550/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 395 together.

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 another source.

Social welfare legislation provides the Health Service Executive with the authority to refuse, suspend or terminate payment of a rent supplement in the case of a person who has been required to deliver up possession of a dwelling provided by a housing authority; this can include, for example, anti-social behaviour by the tenant.

In the case of private rented accommodation, tenancy arrangements involve a contract between the landlord and tenant. In these instances, tenant behaviour is a consideration for the landlord. There are a number of avenues open to landlords to resolve issues pertaining to poor conduct of tenants, including the mediation service operated by the Private Residential Tenancies Board and/or recourse to the Garda Siochana and/or the Courts in relation to the enforcement of the law in dealing with anti-social behaviour. If necessary, the landlord may seek termination of the tenancy which, if affected, would result in the termination of rent supplement.

When a person presents themselves to a community welfare officer for rent supplement their RSI number and their social welfare history are reviewed. This process also takes into account the social welfare histories of their spouse and dependent children. This review ensures, as much as possible, that members of the same household do not claim rent supplement concurrently.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 375: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons, on a county basis, who are currently in receipt of rent allowance and confirm the average payment made in each county; the annual cost to the Department by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37112/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The following tabular statement shows the current number of recipients and average payment of rent supplement by county. Details of expenditure on rent supplement are not available on a county basis.

Recipients and Average Payment of Rent Supplement by County,

8 October 2010

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when jobseeker's benefit will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo [37134/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned applied for jobseeker's benefit on 13 September, 2010 and her entitlement is currently being examined. When all enquiries are completed a decision will be made as soon as possible and she will be notified of the outcome.