The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive.
As of 23 February there were 59,450 tenants in receipt of a rent supplement payment of which approximately 32,000 have been in receipt of a payment for 18 months or more.
Under the Rental Accommodations Scheme (RAS), at the end of December 2006, some 2,800 cases had transferred to the local authorities under RAS with a further 2,200 transferring to social housing.
When fully implemented, the RAS will enable the rent supplement scheme to revert to its original objective, namely to be a short term income support scheme.