Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 517: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to ensure that people on the rental accommodation scheme are pro-actively helped to move to housing accommodation appropriate to their individual needs. [18596/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), which is at the mid point in its initial implementation period, is now operational in all housing authorities. All authorities have transferred cases from Rent Supplement to RAS and since the commencement of transfers in September 2005 the pace of delivery has steadily increased. Local authorities actively source accommodation for people who are receiving Rent Supplement, usually for more than 18 months, and who have a long-term housing need. To date some 12,500 cases nationally have been accommodated, of which 6,473 were housed directly under RAS, and a further 6,048 were accommodated under other social housing options.

In assessing accommodation for RAS, local authorities take into account that the quality of the accommodation meets local authority standards and, also, that the accommodation is appropriate to the person's housing needs.