<p>
	The Government has approved an increase in rent supplement and housing assistance payments by as much as 35%.</p>
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	It will cost up to &euro;55m extra in a full year.</p>
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	The move has been welcomed by Sinn F&eacute;in but the party has said they want to see rent certainty alongside the measure.</p>
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	Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar and Housing Minister Simon Coveney brought the proposals to Cabinet this morning.</p>
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	55,000 people get rent supplement and a further 10,000 are in receipt of housing assistance payment.</p>
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	Every part of the country will see increases with examples of a 15% increase in Cavan and Donegal, a 21% rise in Cork city, Longford, Leitrim and Galway city,</p>
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	Dublin, except Fingal will see a 29% rise.</p>
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	Minister Simon Coveney said there will be substantial increases: &ldquo;For a single mother in Cork for example, with one child, the housing assistance payment is not going from &euro;700 - &euro;900 a month. That is a significant increase.&rdquo;</p>
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	There&#39;s been a fear that such a move would drive up rents, especially for others.</p>
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	Minister Leo Varadkar says the two year freeze on rents imposed by the last Government allows for this: &ldquo;That brings the rent supplement limit above the level where it was in 2007 when it peaked.</p>
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	&ldquo;It won&rsquo;t in itself create any additional houses, it is not a silver bullet, it is just part of the Government&rsquo;s response.</p>
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	Sinn F&eacute;in&#39;s welcomed the moved but the party&#39;s housing spokesperson Eoin O&#39;Broin says more needs to happen: &ldquo;We would like to see it increased and more flexibility to local authorities and community welfare officers.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
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	&ldquo;But we have to have rent certainty along with this.&rdquo;</p>
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	(Published by BreakingNews.ie on the 29<sup><font size="2">th</font></sup> June 2016)</p>
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<p>
	<a href="http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/rent-supplement-and-housing-assistance-payments-increased-by-as-much-as-35-742232.html">http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/rent-supplement-and-housing-assistance-payments-increased-by-as-much-as-35-742232.html</a></p>
