Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 189: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6350/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received on the 16th February 2011. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department's Medical Assessors for their medical opinion on the case. Upon receipt of this opinion a decision will issue to the customer.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 190: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the disquiet in various parts of the country regarding the operation of the rent allowance scheme; if her further attention has been drawn to the fact that the Health Service Executive has been widely criticised for its failure to police this scheme effectively; if she is aware that the HSE has granted rent allowance payments to landlords who have failed to register with the Private Residential Tenancies Board; her plans to change rent allowance scheme to ensure that it will be more transparent and effectively policed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6359/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, landlords are legally obliged to register tenancies with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB). The Department is working closely with the PRTB to ensure that all tenancies where rent supplement is in payment are registered with the PRTB. To that end, the Department provides details of new rent supplement payments to the PRTB to enable them identify tenancies that are not registered and to take any follow-up action necessary.

Landlords are legally obliged to register tenancies with the PRTB within one month from the start date of the tenancy or at a later date on payment of an increased fee. For this reason, it is not practicable for the Department to insist that a tenancy be registered with the PRTB before payment of rent supplement can be made. There are also instances where a rent supplement tenancy need not be registered with the PRTB, for example, in the case of renting a room in a house or where a premises is owner occupied. Rent supplement tenancies which are liable for registration with the PRTB, should be so registered. In that regard, the close working arrangements which the Department has with the PRTB should ensure that over time, all tenancies that come within the area of rent supplement comply with the statutory system of tenancy regulation and safeguards.