Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, has announced the Dublin Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) Pilot, a focused initiative aimed at helping more households secure stable, long-term homes by increasing property owner participation in social housing.

The pilot introduces enhanced measures that give Dublin's local authorities greater flexibility to source RAS properties while offering landlords stronger financial certainty, reduced risk and simpler processes, with the goal of expanding the number of homes available to social housing tenants across the capital.

Recognising recent challenges in attracting and retaining properties within RAS, the pilot provides additional supports for landlords, including:

- Flexibility to offer up to 100% of market rent

- Longer RAS contracts of up to eight years

- Front-loaded rental payments

- Enhanced damage and compensation arrangements

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- Streamlined onboarding and inspection processes

These changes are designed to build confidence among property owners, reduce administrative burden and underpin reliable, long-term partnerships with local authorities, thereby increasing supply for individuals and families who need social housing.

The pilot will operate across all four Dublin local authority areas, with Dublin City Council acting as lead authority in partnership with Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Minister Browne said: "The Rental Accommodation Scheme remains an important part of our social housing system. This revised and improved programme will give Dublin local authorities practical new tools to work with property owners, secure more homes, and provide greater stability for households.

"By improving the way the programme works for those with properties that can be utilised, we can bring more properties into the system and help more people access safe, secure housing and tenancies.

"The measures being introduced reflect recommendations from the Review of the Future of the Rental Accommodation Scheme. This pilot allows us to test whether additional flexibility and stronger supports can increase property owner participation and expand the supply of homes available to social housing tenants.

"The evidence gathered will guide future national policy on the role and operation of RAS."

Backed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Dublin RAS Pilot follows publication of the Review of the Future of the Rental Accommodation Scheme. That review highlighted the need to strengthen RAS and better support property owners. The pilot will test key recommendations ahead of any potential wider national rollout.