Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 18: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for the forthcoming Housing Bill. [37748/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government's housing policy statement launched by the Minister for Housing in June of this year foresaw a number of significant reforms and developments in the provision of social housing. A key element in this regard is the commitment to devise an alternative to the existing system of rent supplement operated by the Department of Social Protection. The intention is that those households with an identified social housing need will move to a new social housing scheme operated by the statutory housing authorities. In this context rent supplement could revert to its originally intended role as a short term income support.

Giving effect to this major reform will require legislation. It is my intention, following work now underway interdepartmentally to develop the new approach to housing provision for this group of households, that legislation be introduced during 2012 to give a statutory basis to the approach.

Such a Bill would also provide a mechanism to address other social housing issues.

Question No. 19 answered with Question No. 7.