In light of the commitment in the programme for Government to deal with the housing and homelessness crisis, I want to ask the Tánaiste about one specific issue. Last week the Minister, Deputy Coveney, announced an increase in the rent allowance across the country but, unfortunately, in a couple of counties, including my own county of Kerry, it was in the region of 5%. I went to the trouble of looking at the Daft first quarter average rents for the country. The average rent in County Galway is €618 per month and in Kerry is €623 per month. Both counties have similar populations and very similar demands regarding tourism activity, etc. Why did the Minister apply such a meagre increase to Kerry when he applied a 25% increase to County Galway? He applied an equally meagre increase to Mayo. While I understand he might have a reason for not giving Mayo a decent increase, I cannot understand why he did not give Kerry a decent increase. This should be reviewed and changed immediately.

The Department of Social Protection recently carried out a review of the rent limits, as the Deputy knows, in line with the commitments contained in the programme for a partnership Government. Increased limits for rent supplement have been introduced in all areas of the country with recent effect and the increases that have been given reflect the pressures on rental properties in each particular location. All I can say to the Deputy is that the review was based on the examination done and the data collected by the Department of Social Protection and the increases reflected that data and those pressures for each county.

The Tánaiste is wrong in the case of Kerry.