The Integration Centre is a non-governmental organisation which is committed to the integration and inclusion of people from immigrant backgrounds in Ireland.

Rules on social housing support for non-Irish nationals have been adapted, clarified and modernized to deal with current circumstances in a more fair and equitable manner.

Killian Forde, CEO of The Integration Centre, said "This represents an important change that we have advocated for though the Roadmap to Integration 2011”.

“Previously non-EU nationals were faced with formidable challenges as they had to be on Stamp 4 for five years before qualifying – this meant that in practice they would have been in Ireland for 8-10 years prior to being eligible because most people do not get Stamp 4 straight away. It goes without saying that the policy was very restrictive.”
The new regulation states that any residency now qualifies as quantifiable time in applications for social housing, apart from students.

It also allows for non-EU parents of Irish citizens to be treated as Irish citizens on behalf of their children, so they now do not have to meet the five years residency condition.

“Whilst we are happy with this progressive move we would ask that the government goes one step further regarding the rent supplement. As it stands when non-EU nationals do not qualify for social housing they also do not qualify for the rent supplement. We would ask that the entitlement to rent supplement should be based on conditions separate to eligibility for social housing.”

“This would be an important change because in our experience those with leave to remain have been turned down for social housing and as a result refused the rent supplement. This leaves this vulnerable group who have just left the asylum system at risk of poverty and homelessness.”