Written answers

Thursday, 18 July 2013

Department of Social Protection

Homelessness Strategy

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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342. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the resources she has committed to ensuring that families do not experience homelessness in the cases where no properties are advertised as available to take rent supplement support and where no vacancies are available through the local authority either through social housing units or emergency accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36571/13]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan 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 approximately 84,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for the scheme in 2013.

New revised rent limits came into force on Monday 17 June 2013 and will be in place until 31 December 2014. The new rent limits were determined following an extensive review of the private rental market which showed rising rents for urban centres, particularly Dublin and Galway and reduction in rents for the majority of counties. The new limits continue to ensure that value for money is achieved while, at the same time, people on rent supplement are not priced out of the market for private rented accommodation.

Officials in the Department continue to examine the impact of the rent limits on those who claim rent supplement and ensure that their accommodation needs are met. If the Deputy has a concern in relation to a specific case, she can provide the details to the Department for follow-up.

Policy in relation to the availability of social housing and emergency accommodation is a matter for the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

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