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Dáil
‹ Order of Business

Rent allowance eligibility

Summary

Sandra McLellan challenges the Taoiseach’s figures about a three-day worker receiving rent allowance, while the Taoiseach says the figures may be wrong and were intended to illustrate work incentives.

Earlier the Taoiseach spoke about a guy who was on a three day week and was receiving unemployment assistance. The Taoiseach said he was getting rent allowance and his income was getting up to €900. How is that?

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Seán Barrett An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

That is not a matter for the Order of Business.

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Has there been a change? I do not believe he would qualify for that.

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Seán Barrett An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

The Deputy should put down a parliamentary question.

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

They are the figures given to me. They may not be correct, but I was talking about incentive.

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They are not. The fact he is working for three days means he does not get rent allowance.

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One will not qualify for rent allowance.

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

There might be other benefits.

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It was a nice piece of fiction.

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Bernard Durkan Deputy Bernard J. Durkan Fine Gael

There was a nice amount of fiction from the Deputy for ten years.

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I was talking about incentive. The figures might not be correct, but I am talking about incentives.

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