Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the action he has taken to ensure that every tenant in receipt of rent supplement is registered for the rental accommodation scheme and is aware that the 30-hour rule in respect of when they take up employment is not applied in their circumstances. [42063/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.

There are currently over 96,200 tenants benefiting from a rent supplement payment - an increase of 61 per cent since the end of 2007. Over 44,500 have been in payment for 18 months or more. The rental accommodation scheme (RAS), which was introduced in 2004, gives local authorities specific responsibility for meeting the longer term housing needs of people receiving rent supplement for 18 months or more.

The Department, on a quarterly basis, advises local authorities through the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government of all tenants who have been in receipt of rent supplement for 18 months or more. It is then the responsibility of the local authority to determine whether a person is eligible for accommodation under the rental accommodation scheme. Any person taking up an employment or training opportunity is advised of their entitlements by the community welfare service.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the rules applying in relation to the total number of refusals of a rental accommodation scheme or other social housing accommodation a tenant on rent supplement is allowed before rent supplement is refused, suspended or withdrawn [42068/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a condition of any applicant's entitlement to a rent supplement that s/he has not refused to accept, within any continuous 12 month period commencing on or after 27 July 2009, a second offer of accommodation, provided by either a housing authority (including accommodation offered under the Rental Accommodation Scheme) or any body approved by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the purposes of Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992 (No. 18 of 1992) i.e. the Capital Assistance Housing scheme. Where the Health Service Executive (HSE) is notified that an applicant has refused a second offer of accommodation within a 12 month period, the HSE is obliged to cease payment of rent supplement for a period of 12 months from the date of refusal. On the expiry of the 12 month period it will be open to the applicant to re-apply for rent supplement subject to the normal qualifying conditions. A full assessment of housing need will be required by the relevant local authority before rent supplement will be considered.