Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 May 2017
168. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who applied to the Dublin central rents unit who have been refused rent supplement and instructed to apply for the housing assistance scheme since 1 January 2017. [23517/17]
View answerSince 1st Jan 2017, the Dublin Central Rents Unit received 705 applications for rent supplement.
Under the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness – Rebuilding Ireland, HAP was rolled out to all Dublin Local Authority areas with effect from the 1st March 2017. Since 1st March, where an application for rent supplement is received from a client with a long term housing need as confirmed by the relevant Local Authority, the client is advised to make an application for HAP to their Housing Authority, in the first instance, as the preferred scheme for long term housing support.
From 1st March 114 applicants who submitted an application for Rent Supplement have been advised to apply for HAP to their relevant Housing Authority. No application for Rent Supplement has been disallowed on the basis that the client may qualify for HAP.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
