Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 308: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans for social housing and rent support having particular regard to the views of his predecessor to the effect that housing is a matter for the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23252/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 309: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he intends to get directly involved in meeting the housing requirements of those currently on housing waiting lists and applicants for or in receipt of rent support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23253/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he intends to take over responsibility for local authority or social housing from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23255/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 308, 309 and 311 together.

I do not intend to take over responsibility for housing from my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, nor do I intend to get directly involved in meeting the housing requirements of those currently on housing waiting lists. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare Division of the Health Service Executive, a weekly or monthly rent supplement is available to assist eligible people who are unable to meet their immediate accommodation needs through their own resources.

In recent years, a significant number of people have come to rely on rent supplements for extended periods, including people on local authority housing waiting lists. In response to this situation, the Government has introduced new rental assistance arrangements giving local authorities specific responsibility for meeting the longer-term housing needs of people receiving rent supplement for 18 months or more, on a phased implementation basis. When fully operational, local authorities will meet the housing needs of these individuals through a range of approaches including the traditional range of social housing options, the voluntary housing sector and, in particular, the new rental accommodation scheme.

The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government has indicated that at the beginning of June 2006 over 1,200 tenants have been accommodated under the Rental Accommodation Scheme, with a further 770 accommodated in local authority housing. This is the first step towards having the new arrangements fully operational nationwide by September 2008. These arrangements are intended to be a long-term housing option for the people concerned. In order to finance this initiative €19 million was transferred from my Department's Vote to the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Vote in 2005 and a further €19 million has been transferred for 2006. Similar arrangements will apply in successive years as the new arrangements are fully implemented.

The new rental assistance arrangements provide an imaginative additional approach in supporting people with longer-term housing needs. By definition, people on rent supplement for extended durations have a long-term housing need that they cannot otherwise meet, and many of them are on local authority housing lists. The new scheme, particularly the rental accommodation component, will reduce housing waiting lists by providing a useful additional mechanism for providing social housing, alongside more traditional social housing construction programmes and the expansion of the voluntary housing sector.

At the end of 2005, 60,176 households were in receipt of assistance under the rent supplement scheme. Over half of these, almost 33,000 tenants, have been on the scheme for 18 months or more. My Department and the Health Service Executive are actively assisting the local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in implementing the new arrangements. I am satisfied that the difficulties faced by long-term private sector tenants are being tackled and all of the relevant agencies are co-operating actively to make the new system work successfully.

In recent weeks I have mentioned the concept of some form of housing supplement as a possible alternative to rent supplementation. I am conscious that the rent supplement scheme has become a form of social housing in its own right and for this reason, I am anxious that all avenues are explored to provide financial support for people on long-term rent supplementation who may be in a position to purchase their own home. In this regard my Department and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, are together overseeing a study which will examine possible approaches. I have asked that the study be undertaken as a matter of urgency and I expect to have a report in the Autumn.