Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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40. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when rent allowance thresholds in County Meath will be brought in line with rental market values in the country; and the action she will take to ensure no person or family will be left homeless over Christmas. [48630/14]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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41. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown in tabular form over the past five years of the number of persons in receipt of rent supplement by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48665/14]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 41 together.

The Implementation Plan on the State’s Response to Homelessness published in May 2014 is the Government’s Strategy to bring about an end to involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government recently announced the provision of 260 additional emergency beds in Dublin to be available before Christmas to ensure that any person sleeping rough between now and Christmas will have a bed available should they choose to avail of it.Arrangements are also being made to provide the necessary accommodation in other urban areas, including Cork where an additional 20 beds are being provided.

In terms of the rent supplement scheme, the Department is currently reviewing the maximum rent limits, which will be finalised shortly. I am acutely aware of the difficulties people are experiencing in maintaining affordable rented accommodation in areas of high demand in the current market, including areas of county Meath. However, raising rent limits may not be the solution to the problem as it is likely to add to further rental inflation and could impact, not alone on rent supplement recipients, but also on many lower income workers and students. I am keeping the matter under close review.

There are approximately 71,800 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. A breakdown of recipients per county since 2008 is provided in the attached tabular statement. There are currently over 1,700 rent supplement recipients in Meath, of which 520 were awarded this year, which represents over 30% of the total awarded.

Emergency actions are being undertaken in the Department through the increased use of flexibility in relation to the administration of the rent limits, including under the Interim Tenancy Sustainment Protocol operating in Dublin. A notice reminding all Community Welfare Service staff of their statutory discretionary power to award a supplement for rental purposes, for example, when dealing with applicants who are at risk of losing their tenancy was circulated in July 2014 and a further instruction issued last week.

Staff are increasing rent supplement payments as necessary and are actively engaging with the relevant local authorities and local various organisations involved in homelessness. The Department is reviewing the local arrangements in place to strengthen the existing framework to ensure that the necessary supports continue to be provided in a consistent manner.

I advise that where a person in receipt of rent supplement is at risk of losing their tenancy they should make contact with the Tenancy Protection Service provided by Threshold in Dublin on 1800 454 454 or their local Community Welfare Service throughout the country.



Tabular Statement - Rent Supplement End of Year Recipient Numbers per County: