Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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48. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the current rent supplement limits and revise same, with a view to flexibility on the limits for tenants who are at risk of homelessness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49723/14]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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52. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the average period of time that persons in County Meath currently in receipt of rent allowance and the percentage of these persons who are on the housing list for more than three years. [49748/14]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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53. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the number of persons in County Meath whose rent supplement has been stopped following a review which found the rent paid was higher than the threshold allowed in 2013 and 2014. [49751/14]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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81. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will review rent supplement levels as early as possible during 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1510/15]

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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111. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total cost of rent supplement and the number of recipients in each county in tabular form for the years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1725/15]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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113. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress of introducing new revised rent supplement limits which would better reflect the current rental accommodation market; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1754/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 52, 53, 81, 111 and 113 together.

There are approximately 71,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for 2015.

I can assure the Deputies that the Department continues to monitor the maximum rent limits and is aware of the difficulties people are experiencing, including recipients of rent supplement, in maintaining affordable rented accommodation in areas of high demand in the current housing market. I am keeping this matter under close review. 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, their families and students. Increasing housing supply and the reactivation of the construction activity is a key issue for Government and is critical to restoring stability to the rental market.

The Department is taking measures to ensure that the housing needs of rent supplement customers who are in danger of becoming homeless are being addressed by providing for increased flexibility within the administration of the scheme. A notice reminding all 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 during 2014 and a further instruction recently issued in December 2014 to ensure that there is consistency throughout the country.

The tenancy sustainment protocol with the Dublin local authorities and voluntary organisations is designed to protect families on rent supplement who are at risk of losing their accommodation from becoming homelessness and payment in excess of the rent limits are being made for some 290 families in the Dublin region. The protocol will be shortly extended to Cork city and staff in the Department are engaging with Cork City Council and non-Government organisations in this regard. Staff outside the Dublin region are also increasing rent supplement payments as necessary and are actively engaging with the relevant local authority and various local organisations involved in homelessness.

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 or to their local Community Welfare Service.

Rent supplement recipient numbers by county and information on expenditure since 2010 is provided in the attached tabular statements. The table shows that there are currently over 1,700 rent supplement recipients in Meath, of which nearly one third of these claims were awarded during 2014. A breakdown on claim duration by county or by reasons customers exit the scheme is not available. Policy in relation to housing lists is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government.

Tabular Statement

Table 1: Rent Supplement End of Year Recipient Numbers & Expenditure: 2010 to 2014