Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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554. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if parents with joint custody and an entitlement under the rent supplement scheme should also be entitled to receive payments under the scheme to provide accommodation that facilitates overnight stays with their children; and the guidelines he provides to his officials make decisions on these cases. [10462/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 56,800 people for which the Government has provided approximately €267 million for 2016.

Persons seeking a rent supplement must first satisfy a decision maker that they have a housing need that they are unable to meet from within their own resources. In addition, the decision maker must be satisfied that the residence is reasonably suited to the residential and other needs of the claimant and that the rent payable is reasonable having regard to the nature, character and location of the residence.

Where the children’s housing and other basic needs are being met by the primary carer and the payment of a qualified child allowance is also being made to that individual, rent supplement would normally be payable at a single person’s rate to the other parent. However, in exceptional circumstances a supplement payable to the non-primary carer at a higher family rate may be considered, having regard to the particular circumstances of the family using statutory discretionary powers.

In making a decision, Department officials are advised to consider any documentary evidence supporting the extent of the parent’s involvement with the children, and consider the extent of the claimant’s accommodation need, having regard to the custody arrangements and whether the children are dependent on the claimant for financial or material support.

The Department engaged an external consultant to undertake a technical review of the rent supplement scheme in regards to its policy regarding separated parents. The policy implications of the resultant report are under consideration by the Department.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.