Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

294. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that avail of rent allowance and RAS payments, by county; and the total payments by county in 2016. [21817/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting some 43,600 recipients for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017.

A county analysis of recipient numbers by county as at December 2016 is provided in the following tabular statement. Expenditure under the scheme for 2016 was some €275 million, a breakdown of this figure on a county basis is not available.

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 available nationwide. In addition to the ongoing transfer of long-term rent supplement recipients to HAP, the majority of new applicants seeking State support towards their rent are being supported by the Local Authorities under HAP rather than rent supplement.

The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is also administered by the Local Authorities and reporting on this scheme is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Rent Supplement Recipients by County as at end December, 2016