Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to reform the qualifying criteria for the rental accommodation scheme in order to address its inflexibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39603/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is designed to cater for the accommodation needs of persons in receipt of rent supplement who have a long-term housing need. It is a collaborative project between my Department, local authorities, the Department of Social Protection and the Health Service Executive.

In general a household must be in receipt of rent supplement for 18 months or more in order to qualify for RAS but housing authorities do, on occasion, accept households on to RAS where they have been less than 18 months on rent supplement. This occurs where there are exceptional circumstances and where a long term housing need can be demonstrated. In addition while in most housing authority areas there remains a significant cohort of households in receipt of rent supplement for longer than 18 months, there are a small number of authorities who have accommodated most of the 18 month cohort at this stage, and are now in consultation with the local Community Welfare Service to identify other rent supplement households that have a long term housing need and are suitable for transfer to the scheme.

It is considered, particularly in the current economic climate where rising unemployment is resulting in an increase in the numbers on rent supplement, that the 18 month threshold remains an appropriate juncture at which to review a household's ongoing need for housing. As the economy recovers, it is likely that many of these households will return to employment. In that context, the type of support provided through rent supplement, i.e. short term income support, is more appropriate to the needs of these households rather then pre-determining that the households have a long term housing need. Should some households find themselves with a long term housing need, they will be provided for under the normal 18 month rule.

Question No. 92 answered with Question No. 90.