Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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169. To ask the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 80 and 81 of 6 May 2015, where she stated that information on rent supplement arrears due to recalculation of means were not available, if the information is now to hand; if she will provide the numbers of persons who have had their rent supplement rates recalculated down; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24737/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There are approximately 68,000 rent supplement recipients, of which over 25,400 are in Dublin, for which the Government has provided a total of over €298 million for in 2015.

Under the legislative provisions governing rent supplement, the Department’s relationship is with the tenant; the tenant makes the application for rent supplement and payment is generally made to the tenant to assist them with their accommodation needs. There is no direct contractual relationship between the landlord and the Department in the administration of the scheme. Therefore, statistics in relation to persons in rent arrears are not available to the Department.

It is open to any landlord to bring to the attention of the Department any instance where they suspect that a tenant is receiving rent supplement and is not paying their rent. Where the Department becomes aware that a person is not using rent supplement to meet the accommodation costs, payment of the supplement may be suspended and the matter investigated.

Statistics are not maintained regarding the number of rent supplement reviews undertaken or their outcome.