Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 November 2016
308. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government following the publication of his action plan for housing and homelessness four months ago the status of the progress made to date on action 2.3 to accelerate the roll-out of the housing assistance payments scheme on a national basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35053/16]
View answerThe implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a key Government priority and the accelerated roll-out of the scheme on a national basis is an important early action for completion in Rebuilding Ireland: Action Pl an for Housing and Homelessness. HAP is now available to all qualified households in 19 local authority areas, with over 14,500 households currently being supported by the scheme and around 9,500 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to those households. A breakdown of the number of households supported by HAP in each local authority area at the end of September 2016 is available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision. Rebuilding Ireland commits to accelerating the roll-out of the HAP scheme to nine further local authorities by the end of 2016 and the remaining three Dublin local authorities by the end of March 2017, completing the national roll-out of the scheme. An intensive programme of training for Cavan, Kerry, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow County Councils is currently ongoing in preparation for the proposed introduction of the scheme in these areas from December 1, subject to the necessary regulations being in place.
The full roll-out of the scheme will be completed by March 2017, with the introduction of HAP to the administrative areas of Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown and Fingal County Council. A multi-agency HAP Implementation Dublin Working Group has been established to advise and prepare for the introduction of the scheme to the Dublin region based on experience of the roll-out to date, and the particular pressures and characteristics of the rental market in Dublin.
