Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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485. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of payments by county that have been made to families by the community welfare officers as top ups to the rent supplement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12816/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The rent supplement scheme, for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017, plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 45,500 tenants.

In recognition of the on-going rental market difficulties, my Department implements a targeted case-by-case policy approach that allows for flexibility where landlords seek rents in excess of the rent limits. In addition, the Protocol arrangement in place with Threshold is operational in the areas where supply issues are particularly acute covering Dublin, Cork, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow and Galway City. Since the introduction of this flexible approach, almost 11,300 persons at imminent risk of homelessness have been supported through increased rent supplement payments. A county breakdown of these payments is provided in the attached tabular statement.

The Deputy will be aware that the strategic policy direction of the Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support with the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, which from 1 March, 2017, is now available nationwide. HAP was first piloted in the Louth area in October 2014, with the number of HAP recipients (c. 1,350) in Louth now exceeding the number of rent supplement recipients (800). In addition to the ongoing transfer of tenancies from rent supplement to HAP, the majority of new applicants in Louth seeking State support towards their rent are being supported under HAP rather than rent supplement.

In tandem with the revised rental limits introduced in July 2016 and on-going transfers to HAP, my Department continues to implement a targeted flexible case-by-case approach where rents may exceed the appropriate maximum limit ensuring where possible that rent supplement tenants can retain their homes.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Total Increased Rental Payments & Active HAP Tenancies by County as of 13 March 2017