Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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943. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is aware that not all local authority tenants are being income assessed on the same differential rent review (details supplied); the reason Kilkenny County Council does not have a maximum rental cap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12279/25]

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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984. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to amend the local authority differential rent scheme to exclude carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit from rent assessment under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12824/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 943 and 984 together.

Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay.

Local discretion and flexibility are inherent in the devolved function of administering rent schemes. Decisions regarding how the rent charged is calculated and the type of household income that is reckonable or disregarded for rent purposes including Carer’s Allowance or Health Insurance BIK, and the inclusion of a maximum rent cap under any Differential Rent Scheme is a matter solely for individual local authorities. I have no role in this regard.