Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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61. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of rent supplement that are aged 18 to 24 years of age, by county, in each of the years 2014 to 2016, and to date in 2017; the measures he is taking with his colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to address recent reports of a 78% increase in homelessness in the 18 to 24 year old age group since 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25714/17]

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 43,700 recipients for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017. There are approximately 1,800 rent supplement recipients aged 18 to 24 years old. A breakdown of these young customers, on a county basis for the period 2014 to date, is provided in the table.

As part of Budget 2017, I announced a reduction in the minimum contribution for young people in receipt of rent supplement and reduced rates of weekly social welfare payment from January 2017. This measure provides for an increase in the weekly income of young people affected by up to €20 per week at a cost of €.5 million.

Support may also be provided to persons in receipt of rent supplement or HAP towards rent deposits or rent in advance, which is an important assistance to those on low incomes who are at risk of, or who are homeless. In 2016, my Department made some 2,800 payments of rent deposits/rent in advance at a cost of almost €1.8 million, of which some 460 payments were to young people aged 24 and under, at cost of over €293,000.

I can assure the Deputy that there is ongoing engagement between my Department and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in relation to ongoing supports for those in or facing homelessness, including the ongoing transfer of rent supplement recipients to the HAP scheme which is now available throughout the country.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Number of rent supplement Recipients Aged 18 – 24 from 2014 to April 2017