Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the entitlement to rent allowance in respect of single fathers who have shared custody entitlement derived from court decisions but who do not seem to qualify for rent support other than as a single person resulting in their failure to meet their obligations to the courts arising from family law settlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28353/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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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 any other source. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are currently approximately 93,800 persons in receipt of rent supplement, with €436 million provided in 2012.

Any person seeking a rent supplement must first satisfy the Department's representative that they have a housing need that they are unable to meet from their own resources. In addition, the Department must be satisfied that the residence is reasonably suited to the residential and other needs of the claimant. The Department must also be satisfied that the rent payable is reasonable having regard to the nature, character and location of the residence.

In a case where parents have joint custody of a child, the needs of both parents to have adequate accommodation to look after the child are taken into account when an application for a rent supplement is being determined. In such cases, documentation is normally required showing that a joint custody arrangement is in place and being availed of before a decision can be made. Every claim for rent supplement is determined having regard to all of the circumstances of the case.