I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 49 together.
Leasing is a form of social housing support that, along with the Rental Accommodation Scheme and more traditional forms of support is provided by local authorities to meet a person's housing needs. The recent statement on the Government's housing policy, published by Minister Penrose on 16 June, referred to the provision of housing support based on choice, fairness, equity across tenures and on delivering quality outcomes for the resources invested. Leasing is one element of this approach.
In the context of rising housing need, the priority must be to maximise delivery of social housing to cater for the greatest level of need. It is not possible to purchase or build anything like the same number of units through traditional methods as can be provided through leasing. In addition, leasing broadens the range of housing options for tenants and is a flexible response to housing need at different stages in the lifecycle of the household.
Regarding the security of tenure available through leasing, it should be noted that under leasing, including RAS, the local authority takes over responsibility for the provision of accommodation for the household concerned. There is no time limit on this and therefore long term access to supported housing is protected.
Finally, the move to avail of leasing should not be viewed in isolation. The Incremental Purchase Scheme provides the opportunity for a household in a leased property to transfer to and purchase a dwelling provided for that purpose and to avail of the relevant subsidies and discounts.