Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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508. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount of funding provided by her Department by way of rent support to families on local authority housing lists over the past fifteen years since responsibility for such payments in lieu of housing were entrusted to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51208/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 36,200 recipients for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017.

Statistics are not maintained in relation to rent supplement payments made to families on local authority housing lists. Details of rent supplement recipients under the scheme in respect of the period from January 2002 to October 2017 are provided in the attached tabular statement.

Rent supplement customer numbers from 2002 (c. 54,200) increased moderately until the onset of the financial crisis reaching a peak in 2010 (c. 97,300). HAP was introduced in 2014 which transfers responsibility of persons with a long term housing need from my Department to the Local Authorities. The Government’s strategic aim as set out in Rebuilding Ireland is to transfer all long-term rent supplement tenancies to HAP by 2020, with rent supplement reverting to its original purpose that of a short-term income support. Since HAP’s introduction it has been the main driver for rent supplement’s customer base decline with over 30,000 tenants currently in receipt of HAP support. Other contributory factors include the continuing improvement in the economy allied with people exiting rent supplement through activation and securing job opportunities.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Rent Supplement: Recipient Numbers & Expenditure: 2002 to Present