Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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162. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to increasing the rent allowance in an area (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10377/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.

Following an extensive review of the private rental market revised maximum rent limits were introduced from Monday 17 June 2013 until 31 December 2014. The purpose of the review is to ensure availability of accommodation for rent supplement tenancies and not to provide access to all housing in all areas while ensuring that maximum value for money is achieved.

Despite the overall pressures on the Social Protection budget, there have been increases in the rent limits in Dublin, Galway, North Kildare and Bray areas. Analysis also shows that there are properties available in County Wicklow within the maximum rent limits with approximately 2,350 rent supplement tenancies in place. A search of a leading property website shows that there are no available properties to rent in the Kilcoole area. Department officials dealing with rent supplement tenants continue to make every effort to ensure that their accommodation needs are met.