Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 323: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if a citizen from Switzerland who is living here for some time is eligible to be considered for social housing; if there are specific rules or regulations to prevent this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38623/08]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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It is a matter for individual authorities to decide on the eligibility of applicants for social housing and the allocation of houses to eligible applicants within the terms of their approved Scheme of Letting Priorities.

The provision of social housing support by housing authorities is determined on the basis of a number of eligibility criteria, of which residency is one. These residency criteria are determined in the context of prevailing national and EU legislation. Circular HPS4/08 issued by my Department in February 2008, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, sets out the entitlements regarding access to social and affordable housing support generally for immigrants.

In general, nationals of European Economic Area countries (i.e. the EU 27, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) are entitled to seek housing support from a housing authority on the same basis as an Irish citizen if:

they are workers; this entitlement is guaranteed by Article 9 of EEC Regulation 1612/68 which deals with the freedom of movement of workers within the EEA;

they have established an entitlement to permanent residence here; or

they have established a right to rent supplement income support under the Social Welfare Acts (in particular they have satisfied the Habitual Residency Condition associated with this support).