Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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37. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if rent allowance will be paid in respect of a family member who is occupying a property owned by the parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34878/14]

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. 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 73,800 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.

There is no specific restriction on landlords renting to family members provided all of the qualifying criteria for the rent supplement scheme have been met. Under the rules governing entitlement to rent supplement, the Department must establish that the applicant is a bona fide tenant. In determining whether the applicant is a bona fide tenant the Department will generally require documentary evidence including:

- Details of the lease agreement,

- Proof of ownership of the property,

- Documentation that the tenancy has been registered with the PRTB,

- Documentation detailing payments made to the landlord.

Department officials have considerable experience in dealing with customers of the scheme and continue to make every effort to ensure that their accommodation needs are met.