Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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96. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her view on the apparent increase in the number of advertisements on private rental accommodation websites stating that rent allowance is not accepted and the resultant problems this causes for prospective tenants who qualify for rent supplement and wish to find a home; and if there are plans to introduce any legislative measures to outlaw the practice. [38925/13]

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 over 82,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for 2013.

Under the legislative provisions governing rent supplement, the Department’s relationship is with the tenant. Rent supplement is specifically for the benefit of tenants to assist them with their accommodation needs. There is no direct relationship between the landlord and the Department in the administration of the scheme. The tenant’s engagement with the Department usually takes place after the tenant has reached an agreement with the landlord.

I do not intend to introduce any legislative measures in this respect. The fact that approximately 82,500 people are currently in receipt of rent supplement proves that a significant number of landlords are accommodating applicants of the scheme and that rent supplement recipients are able to access accommodation. In terms of policy direction, the Government has approved the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) including the transfer of responsibility for rent supplement recipients with an established housing need from the Department of Social Protection to housing authorities. Officials in this Department are working closely with those in the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government to assist with the necessary work required to initiate HAP.