Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 370: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if having regard to the views expressed by some of her predecessors to the effect that rent supplement would in the future feature as a replacement for local authority housing, the way it is contended that the housing needs of eligible applicants are likely to be met in the future in view of the need for budgetary cutbacks which she inherited from her predecessors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28346/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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On 16th June 2011, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for Housing & Planning published a new housing policy framework statement. This framework statement reflects the content of the Programme for Government and sets out the principles to underpin the development of housing policy into the medium term. The framework statement specifically contains the announcement for the transfer of responsibility for providing housing needs for long term rent supplement recipients to housing authorities on a phased basis. The focus of this approach is to achieve a key Government commitment to remove barriers to employment, and at the same time, returning rent supplement to its original purpose of a short-term income support. There are currently approximately 93,800 persons in receipt of rent supplement, for which the Government has provided €436 million for 2012.

A multi-agency steering group has been established by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government to give effect to this initiative and this group is currently developing proposals and operational protocols for the transfer of responsibility from the Department of Social Protection to housing authorities of persons who have long term housing requirements. A commencement date for the new arrangements of 1 January 2013 has been approved by Government, subject to further consideration of the matter by it. Such consideration will include a detailed economic assessment of the proposal, the possibility of centralised management and reporting arrangements, any required amendments to Housing and Social Welfare legislation and consistency with overall expenditure ceilings for 2013 and 2014 set out in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure Report. The consideration of an Exchequer neutral mechanism for funding and resourcing the proposed measure having regard to medium term expenditure targets will be examined.