COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 09, 2011

QUESTION NO 5.

QUESTION: Councillor C. Jones

To ask the Manager to make a statement on the number of additional housing applicants who are joining the SDCC housing list in order to qualify for Rent Supplement?

REPLY:

Unless an applicant for rent supplement has been renting privately for at least 6 months, it is a precondition of a rent supplement application that they  apply for council housing and have a comprehensive housing needs assesment carried out.

The council would not be aware of --nor does it record-- the instances where applications for housing are made solely on grounds of a rent supplement application. All such applicants must apply for Council housing and, if they are deemend to have a genuine housing need, they are listed on the housing waiting list.

The housing waiting list has grown significantly in recent years as detailed below. However it should be noted that approximately 65% of those on the list are currently living in rent supplemented accommodation of their choice.

 Housing Waiting List Statstics:

2004---3809;

2005----4878;

2006----5740;

2007----5977;

2008----6636;

2009----7963;

2010-----8943;

2011----10,100;