Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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1067. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the operational guidelines that exist for local authorities in respect of their administration of the rental accommodation scheme; the specific rules that local authorities must abide by in terms of the date that the scheme is payable by them, that is, from the date of application or the date of award; if the latter, the reason for this; and the rules or guidelines in place if there is a significant processing delay by the local authority. [7849/20]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Local authorities are responsible for the detailed planning of social housing provision based on the households needs in their respective areas. It is a matter for each local authority to identify the appropriate initiatives to respond to identified housing need. This includes consideration of options to build, acquire or lease properties, as well as the provision of housing supports through the private rental sector, including through the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). The allocation of social housing support to qualified households is, in the first instance, a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with its allocation scheme made in accordance with section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and its associated Regulations.

RAS has been an important contributor to social housing supply since its introduction on a pilot basis in 2005. RAS involves a three-way relationship between (1) the housing authority and landlord - where the local authority enters into a contractual arrangement with the property owner to make the property available to the housing authority under the RAS scheme for an agreed term and at an agreed rent; (2) the landlord and tenant - where the eligible RAS tenant, nominated by the housing authority, signs a residential tenancy agreement with the landlord; and (3) the housing authority and tenant - where the RAS tenant pays a differential rent to the local authority and the local authority makes payments to the landlord on the tenant's behalf. The availability agreement signed by the landlord and the local authority sets out the commencement date for that agreement and would therefore be the date from which rent is payable to the landlord by the local authority, subject to all conditions of the availability agreement being complied with.

If the Deputy can provide additional information in relation to any particular form of delay that he is concerned about, I will endeavour to have the matter explored further.