The Irish government is set to spend more money on rental subsidies than that allocated to councils for social homes in 2020, it has been revealed.

In response to a parliamentary question, it was found the government is set to spend €806.3m on various schemes including Rent Supplement, Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and long-term leases via the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP).

It was also confirmed €789m will be allocated to Local Authorities for the build and acquisition of new social homes. 

Breaking down the figures, Sinn Féin representative Eoin Ó Broin said: "The State will spend €133m on RAS, €502.7m on HAP, €94.6m on rent supplement and approximately 40% of funding allocated to SCHEP will be spent on long term leasing private sector leases totalling €76m.

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"Taken together the government has allocated €806.3m of taxpayers money subsiding social housing tenants in the private rented sector.

"In contrast, Government is only giving Local Authorities €789m to build and buy homes for social housing. The State is giving more money to private landlords than to Local Authorities.

"The Government has its priorities all wrong. Local Authorities should be the primary driver of social housing delivery. Unfortunately Fine Gael continue to over rely on the private sector to meet social housing need.

"This is the fourth year of Rebuilding Ireland and this government is still not building enough homes required, while putting increased pressure on the private rental market which is already over inflated.

"We need to see the inverse happen. The government must prioritise investment in real social and affordable homes, not in subsidies for private landlords."

(CM/JG)