Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 252: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reduce the maximum rates payable for rent supplement, either in general or in a number of specific local authority areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30839/11]

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the flexibility there is for community welfare officers when giving rent allowance to allow persons who live on the borders between two county lines when the maximum amount that is permissible under the rent allowance scheme is different but this is not reflected in the house rental costs of the area; her plans to peg the highest amount of money available on rent allowance to the average house price in a given area as opposed to an arbitrary geographical line that house prices do not see; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31244/11]

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 315: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will guarantee that rates of rent supplement will be safeguarded at their current level. [30402/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 252, 289 and 315 together.

The purpose of rent supplement 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 any other source.

Rent supplement is subject to a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant may incur. Rent limits are set at levels that enable eligible households to secure and retain basic suitable rented accommodation, having regard to the different rental market conditions that prevail in various parts of the country. It is essential to ensure that state support for rent supplement tenants, who form a substantial section of the rental market, does not give rise to inflated rental prices with particular negative impact on those tenants on lower incomes, including those who are in low paid employment.

Staff administering rent supplement have the authority to set levels lower than those provided for in the regulations, in respect of sub-divisions of their functional areas, where this is appropriate. This allows for lower rent levels to apply in certain locations within counties reflecting local market conditions. Under normal circumstances rent supplement is not paid where the rent charged for the accommodation is above the relevant maximum rent limit. However, staff do have some flexibility around making payment above these limits.

The most recent rent limit review established new maximum rent limits from June 2010 and I am satisfied that the rent limits are sufficient to enable eligible households to secure and retain basic suitable rented accommodation.

The current rent limits will remain in force until December 2011 and will be reviewed later this year with a view to establishing new rent limits. The review will be based on analysis of data sets available to the Department on private rental prices within the state. This will include information supplied by the Central Statistics Office, the Private Residential Tenancies Board and other publicly available data sources.