Written answers

Thursday, 14 December 2017

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Rent Supplement Scheme Data

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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712. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of households in each county in the years 2012 to 2017 in receipt of rent supplement; the number of households in those years that have had their rent supplement increased over and above the standard rate set for each local authority in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54159/17]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting some 35,000 recipients for which the Government has provided €232 million for 2017 (following the completion of the Supplementary Estimates process).

A breakdown by county of rent supplements recipients under the scheme in respect of the period from December 2012 to the end of November 2017 is provided in the table. The strategic initiative of returning rent supplement to its original purpose, that of a short term income support, facilitated by the introduction of the HAP scheme, has been the main driver in rent supplement’s base decline with some 30,800 tenants currently in receipt of HAP.

In recognition of the ongoing rental market difficulties, my Department continues to implement a targeted case-by-case policy approach in the administration of rent supplement that allows for flexibility where landlords seek rents in excess of the rent limits. In addition, the Protocol arrangement in place with Threshold continues to operate in the areas where supply issues are particularly acute covering Dublin, Cork, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow and Galway City. To date in 2017, approximately 1,650 recipients have been supported with increased rental payment support. A breakdown of increased rental payment support by county for the last 3 years is also provided in the table.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement: Rent Supplement Recipients by County.

County
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Nov-17
Carlow
1,239
1,108
1,086
962
593
399
Cavan
519
455
414
403
391
302
Clare
1,722
1,547
1,336
1,024
423
191
Cork
9,878
9,020
8,273
6,822
4,958
3,618
Donegal
2,411
2,047
1,812
1,202
415
146
Dublin
32,584
29,541
26,453
23,758
20,561
16,573
Galway
4,134
3,983
3,591
3,326
2,506
1,754
Kerry
2,037
1,888
1,736
1,633
1,554
1,156
Kildare
4,338
4,135
3,698
3,396
2,579
1,915
Kilkenny
1,365
1,210
1,011
554
319
191
Laois
1,097
1,085
1,008
978
871
574
Leitrim
374
354
324
331
281
182
Limerick
3,323
2,984
2,461
1,441
954
745
Longford
511
507
476
384
401
252
Louth
2,549
2,422
2,211
1,462
859
481
Mayo
2,435
1,900
1,619
1,528
1,074
633
Meath
2,143
1,941
1,726
1,528
1,001
577
Monaghan
438
395
352
269
188
143
Offaly
1,240
1,124
1,041
812
563
253
Roscommon
997
802
687
611
566
398
Sligo
591
542
451
478
289
129
Tipperary
2,199
2,094
1,961
1,674
901
442
Waterford
1,773
1,556
1,443
958
590
201
Westmeath
1,592
1,588
1,533
1,426
1,299
862
Wexford
3,700
3,179
2,700
2,296
1,960
1,373
Wicklow
2,495
2,381
2,130
1,991
1,945
1,571
Total
87,684
79,788
71,533
61,247
48,041
35,061

Tabular Statement: Increased Rental Payments by County

COUNTY
2015
2016
2017 to Date
Total
CARLOW
24
48
19
91
CAVAN
13
49
19
81
CLARE
60
0
0
60
CORK
305
245
8
558
DONEGAL
-
-
-
-
DUBLIN
3,860
2,680
916
7,456
GALWAY
112
94
16
222
KERRY
25
156
118
299
KILDARE
228
313
133
674
KILKENNY
112
23
5
140
LAOIS
101
18
0
119
LEITRIM
48
49
11
108
LIMERICK
7
1
10
18
LONGFORD
95
214
25
334
LOUTH
77
77
41
195
MAYO
3
0
13
16
MEATH
256
173
47
476
MONAGHAN
1
0
0
1
OFFALY
51
13
10
74
ROSCOMMON
13
40
36
89
SLIGO
0
1
0
1
TIPPERARY
165
118
45
328
WATERFORD
27
35
8
70
WESTMEATH
94
271
36
401
WEXFORD
7
15
2
24
WICKLOW
97
277
133
507
TOTAL
5,781
4,910
1,651
12,342

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