Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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266. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason that a carer’s allowance payment is considered as assessable means on a local authority rent assessment while other social welfare payments are not assessable; his views on whether those providing full-time care are providing an extremely important service; and if he will agree to rectify this issue. [28036/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The right of local authorities to set and collect rents on their dwellings is set out in section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.

Subject to broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be income-based and reflect tenants’ ability to pay, the making or amending of such rent schemes is a local authority executive function. Accordingly, decisions regarding the amount of rent charged and the type of household income that is reckonable or disregarded for rent purposes under each rent scheme is a matter solely for the respective local authorities. This includes the treatment of different allowances, such as carer's allowance, which can vary from one local authority to another, and my Department has no role in this regard.