Mr. Graham Doyle:

The Deputy has correctly identified that it is not a case of necessarily one replacing the other in terms of HAP and RAS. It is about refocusing the rent supplement payment in the Department of Social Protection as a short-term support, as it was previously. Over the period, we have seen significant numbers of people become eligible for social housing supports and HAP has been used to meet that increasing need where in the past RAS would have grown in that context.

RAS is still a useful housing support and one that gives some flexibility to local authorities in providing for the need presented to them. The costs of providing an individual property under RAS have offset a bit. I will bring in my colleague, Ms. Mason, on this. She is our expert on the subject.