Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2014
517. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the duration of the pilot housing assistant payment schemes in the six chosen local authority areas; and when his Department will extend it to all local authority areas. [29409/14]
View answerLimerick City and County Council was identified as the lead local authority to drive implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) in the local government sector, including the delivery of an administrative pilot which is currently underway to test certain elements of the scheme in advance of the necessary legislation being enacted before the end of the Oireachtas summer session. Following the enactment of the legislation a statutory pilot phase will commence in Limerick and the six other local authorities identified for participation in Wave 1 of implementing HAP. These are South Dublin County Council, Cork County Council, Waterford City and County Council, Kilkenny County Council, Louth County Council and Monaghan County Council.
The introduction of HAP is a significant addition to the range of options through which social housing support is provided in this country. A review of both the administrative and statutory pilot phases will be carried out prior to commencing a wider roll-out on a phased basis to the remaining local authorities in 2015.
