Controversial reforms of the rent supplement scheme introduced with last year's estimates "are not having any significant, adverse impacts", according to an official report published yesterday.
The report, by a working group which had been established under the partnership agreement Sustaining Progress to investigate the reforms, supported the view of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, that the rent supplement had "evolved from an income support to a housing support".
However, on a more critical note, the report called for closer co-operation and liaison between local authorities and health boards on how to meet people's accommodation needs.
In addition, it said, "there should be an integrated housing policy which caters for the housing needs of people who currently rely on rent supplement on a long-term basis".
The working group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, contained representatives from various Government Departments as well as the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the National Youth Council of Ireland, the CORI Justice Commission, the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed and the National Association of Building Co-Operatives.
The group drew on a survey of rent supplement refusals by health boards between January and May 2004, showing the majority of refusals were for traditional reasons.
Under the new regime from January 1st, health boards could refuse applicants who had not already been renting for a period of six months.
The survey showed only 7.4 per cent of refusals were based on this ground.
A further 4 per cent of refusals were based on other grounds that were first introduced last January, while 4.4 per cent of refusals were based on a residency condition introduced on May 1st to block claims from residents of EU accession states.
The survey of 498 randomly-selected refusals was published yesterday afternoon, along with the working group report, by Ms Coughlan.
