Deputy, please.

Is ceist shimplí dhíreach í, a Aire. It is a very simple, direct question. How much money has been paid out by month in rent supplement from the Minister's Department?

I welcome the flexibility from the Department regarding this matter. I also welcome the flexibility regarding victims of domestic violence. I have no difficulty with any of that. I look forward to looking at the detail of the Minister's answer but rent supplement was to be abolished, is that not right? It was to be phased out and was only supposed to be there in temporary emergency situations. Applicants were to move on to the housing assistance payment, HAP. I have added up a rough estimate of the HAP, the rental …

I fully agree with the Minister that rent supplement should be a temporary emergency measure. I fundamentally disagree with the Government's policy since 2014 of moving people into HAP, which is blatantly unjust and is bolstering the private market. Some €600 million and rising is going straight into the private market. The Minister talked about the HAP scheme being designed simply. It is unacceptable to put it like that. Somebody who qualifies for HAP gets differential rent which is capped at a certain level. They…

I am not sure which Deputy from Sinn Féin is speaking, but he or she has ten minutes. Deputy O'Reilly is mentioned first in the list I have, but it is Deputies Andrews, Paul Donnelly and Martin Browne. I call Deputy Andrews.

Three speakers remain and just six and a half minutes. I call Deputy Paul Donnelly. He will be followed by Deputies Martin Browne and Louise O'Reilly.

The remaining Sinn Féin speakers have a minute and a half each.

Let the Deputy speak.

Through the Chair.

Go raibh míle maith agat, a Theachta Gannon. Táimid ag bogadh ar aghaidh anois go dtí an Teachta Brid Smith.

To be fair to the Minister, there is no provision for her to speak again. Go raibh míle maith agaibh, sin deireadh leis an seisún.

In accordance with Standing Order 80(2), the division is postponed until the weekly division time on Wednesday, 23 September 2020.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 29A and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputies Fergus O'Dowd and Ged Nash - to discuss the provision of a pop-up Covid test centre in Drogheda, taking into account the significant increased demand on testing that has been evident since July; (2) Deputy Mark Ward -to discuss the Garda Síochána resources to tackle anti-social behaviour impacting on Dublin Bus routes; (3) Deputy Seán Haughey - …

I went overboard earlier.

I ask for co-operation so that we can get through the questions with as many Deputies as possible.

The Minister will have one more minute.

I thank the Minister but I have to stop him as we are way over our time.

I do not mean to be rude to the Minister but we will not get to the other questions otherwise.

Minister, my role is to accelerate the time, so we get as many questions as possible in. An Teachta Ó Cuív has one minute.

I beg your pardon, Minister. Deputy Ó Murchú wishes to come in.