Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason the rent supplement payment amounts vary across the country; if she will provide a breakdown of the current maximum payment, by county; her plans to raise the allowance in County Donegal, in order to make it more equitable with other areas in the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9344/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There are currently approximately 70,700 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for 2015.

The prescribed rent supplement maximum limits were determined following an extensive review of the private rental market on a county basis. As rental markets differ from county to county, this explains the variation in rent limits across the country and the maximum payments made to rent supplement recipients. Details of the maximum rent limits on a county basis from June 2013 to date are provided in the attached tabular statement.

The Department has recently undertaken a review of the maximum rent limits. The overarching concern is that raising rent limits may not be the solution 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 alike. The raising of rent limits in Donegal has the potential to establish, in particular for families on low wage incomes, inappropriate pricing floors, with the possibility that these families are priced out of affordable accommodation in their area of choice. Analysis shows that there are properties available in the Donegal area within the current maximum rent limits.

In recognition of the current supply constraints in areas of high demand throughout the country, measures have been put in place to ensure that the housing needs of rent supplement customers who are at risk of homelessness are addressed by providing increased flexibility within the administration of the rent supplement scheme. Notices circulated to all Community Welfare Service staff reminding them of their discretionary power to award, on a case by case basis, a supplement for rental purposes in such circumstances in July and December 2014. A National Framework has also been developed to ensure that appropriate supports continue to be provided throughout the country in a consistent manner.

I would advise the Deputy that he should advise any person in receipt of rent supplement who is at risk of losing their tenancy in the Donegal area to contact the Community Welfare Service without delay.

Tabular statement - Maximum Rent limits