Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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247. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount spent on rent supplement in each of the years 2011 to 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3294/19]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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248. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of recipients on rent supplement in each of the years 2011 to 2018; the estimated cost in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3295/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together.

Rent supplement continues its vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 24,300 recipients for which the Government has provided  €132.4 million for 2019.

End of year statistics for rent supplement recipients and expenditure for the years 2011 to 2019 and the projected cost for 2019, are provided in the attached tabular statement. The 2019 figure, similar to 2018’s , is predicated on current trends associated with Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP) and the underpinning macroeconomic conditions prevailing throughout next year.

The strategic goal of returning rent supplement to its original purpose; that of a short-term income support, has been primarily facilitated by the introduction of the HAP. The “Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness (July 2016), reiterated in the “Housing First National Implementation Plan 2018-2021” (September 2018), is to provide 87,000 flexible housing supports through the HAP and Rental Accommodation Scheme between 2016 and 2021. As part of this commitment will be the transfer of those out of rent supplement with long term housing needs to HAP with a targeted completion date of these transfers by the end of 2020.  For 2019, HAP’s transfer activity is expected to yield a closing rent supplement base of approximately 15,000 rent supplement customers at year end 

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement:

Rent Supplement:  Recipient Numbers & Expenditure 2011  - 2019