Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if in the interest of local authorities ability to collect overdue rent payments, an arrangement could be established whereby arrears would be deducted from social welfare payments. [16243/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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An arrangement allowing the deduction of local authority differential rents directly from social welfare payments is already provided for under the household budgeting facility operated by An Post. However, this facility is voluntary and allows the tenant to terminate the deductions with two weeks' notice.

The Department accepts that mandatory deductions of local authority differential rents from social welfare payments warrants careful consideration. However, the introduction of such a system would require significant IT development by, and incur significant costs on, both this Department and local authorities. In this regard I have asked officials from both Departments to examine any other options that might be available to address the difficulties faced by local authorities.