Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the impact of the cost of the rent supplement scheme from an addition €5 per week contribution by beneficiaries of the scheme. [35316/11]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the impact on the cost of the rent supplement scheme from changing the basis of contribution by recipients from a flat €24 per week to a 10% of their household income in line with the rental accommodation scheme. [35317/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together.

There are currently 95,904 recipients of rent supplement at an annual cost to the Exchequer of €516m in 2010. Based on the current number of recipients, an increase in the minimum contribution of €5 per week would result in a scheme saving of approximately €25m. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of changing the minimum contribution from €24 per week to 10% of household income as electronic information is not available in relation to the household income of all rent supplement recipients.