Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the findings of the National Advocacy Service, published in October 2012, that disabled persons who want to live independently were being refused rent supplement by community welfare officers; the progress that has been made on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57958/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Currently, there are approximately 88,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement, with €403 million provided by the Government for 2013.

I am aware of the comments which were reported to the National Advisory Group for the National Advocacy Service. These comments related to a particular case which was dealt with locally.

There are no specific exemptions to qualification for rent supplement for persons with disabilities, with all customers being treated equally. Entitlement to rent supplement is subject to a number of qualifying conditions, one of which is that, at the time of application for a rent supplement, a claimant must:

- have been residing in private rented accommodation, accommodation for homeless persons or in an institution for 6 months within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim, or

- have had an assessment of housing need carried out within the 12 months preceding the date of claim and have been deemed by a housing authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support.

The most appropriate means for meeting the long-term accommodation needs of customers is through the provision of services by housing authorities. In March 2012, the Government approved in principle to transfer responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to persons with a long-term housing need from this Department, currently provided through rent supplement, to housing authorities using a new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). A multi-agency steering group has been established to develop proposals to give effect to this transfer. It is planned that pilot testing of HAP arrangements will commence during the second half of 2013 with general roll-out and commencement of transfers from January 2014.