Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2015
558. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of households currently in receipt of the housing assistance payment; if the roll-out of the payment is on track to be available in all local authorities and to 8,400 households by the end of 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17674/15]
View answerThe implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. The HAP scheme will bring all social housing supports provided by the State under the aegis of local authorities. The scheme will remove a barrier to employment by allowing recipients to remain in the scheme if they gain full-time employment. HAP will also improve regulation of the rented accommodation being supported and provide certainty for landlords as regards their rental income.
The Social Housing Strategy 2020 is based on a multi-annual approach to delivery over two phases:
- Phase 1, building on Budget 2015 announcements – a target of 32,000 HAP/RAS units by end 2017, and
- Phase 2, 2018-2020 – a target of 43,000 HAP/RAS units by end 2020.
Further to this, the specific delivery target for the HAP scheme in 2015 is 8,400.
Following the enactment of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 on 28 July 2014, the first phase of the HAP statutory pilot commenced with effect from 15 September 2014 in Limerick City and County Council, Waterford City and County Council and Cork County Council. HAP commenced in Louth, Kilkenny, South Dublin and Monaghan County Councils from 1 October. Subsequently, on 18 December, Dublin City Council became part of the statutory HAP pilot, with a specific focus on accommodating homeless households. Dublin City Council is implementing the HAP pilot for homeless households in the Dublin region on behalf of all 4 Dublin local authorities.
There are now over 1,600 households in receipt of HAP across the local authority areas taking part in the statutory pilot scheme.
During the legislation’s passage through the Oireachtas in July 2014 an undertaking was given that a progress report would be prepared for the relevant Oireachtas Committee. I can confirm that data from the pilot sites has been gathered and I submitted a report to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht last month. Based on the findings of that review, consideration is currently being given to the sequencing of a further cohort of local authorities to commence HAP on an incremental basis this year. These additional local authorities will assist in achieving the 2015 HAP delivery target as set out in the Strategy.
