Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 429: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the eligibility criteria for the rental accommodation scheme will be reduced from 18 to six months this year as indicated in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4831/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The 18 month threshold as referred to is a 'rule of thumb' to try to distinguish between persons who are seeking a short term income support and those who have a long term housing need. While in general a household must be in receipt of rent supplement for 18 months or more in order to qualify for RAS, 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. Bringing persons into RAS before the 18 month period has elapsed has been applied in respect of homeless persons and for households with special needs. It has also been applied administratively where a landlord is bringing a number of properties across with tenants on rent supplement for different periods and it has also been used to facilitate persons moving back to employment.

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 support. As the economy recovers, it is hoped 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 to these households.