Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 May 2017
241. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will review the level of rents being paid under the rent supplement and housing assistance payment, HAP, schemes; if he has satisfied himself that the current rents payable under these schemes is sufficient to ensure that persons dependent on these payments can access housing at current rent levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25779/17]
View answer242. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of persons in receipt of HAP and rent supplement that are currently receiving an uplift in their payments by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25780/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together.
Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, a tenant sources their own accommodation, the tenancy agreement is between the tenant and the landlord and is governed by the Residential Tenancy Act 2004 (as amended). The Government increased the maximum rent limits available under the HAP and Rent Supplement schemes across the country with effect from 1 July 2016. Furthermore, additional flexibility above the existing HAP rent limits was made available to all HAP local authorities from the same date.
Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 20% above the prescribed maximum rent limit in circumstances where it is necessary, because of local rental market conditions, to secure appropriate accommodation for a household that requires it. It is a matter for the local authority to determine if the application of the flexibility is warranted on a case by case basis.
From data that is available, at the end of Q1 2017, 14.4% of the total number of households being supported by HAP were benefitting from the additional flexibility that was provided to local authorities to exceed the maximum rent limits. A table identifying the number of households being supported by HAP where additional flexibility was utilised by local authority area is provided in the table.
|
Local Authority Area |
Number of HAP supported households at end of Q1 2017 |
Number of HAP supported households where additional flexibility was utilised by LA |
% |
|
Carlow County Council |
479 |
25 |
5.20% |
|
Cavan County Council |
28 |
- |
0.00% |
|
Clare County Council |
1,046 |
23 |
2.20% |
|
Cork City Council |
1,119 |
319 |
28.50% |
|
Cork County Council |
1,935 |
127 |
6.60% |
|
Donegal County Council |
1,408 |
2 |
0.10% |
|
Dublin City Council* |
967 |
853 |
88.20% |
|
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
11 |
7 |
63.60% |
|
Fingal County Council |
73 |
53 |
72.60% |
|
Galway City Council |
499 |
227 |
45.50% |
|
Galway County Council |
480 |
31 |
6.50% |
|
Kerry County Council |
88 |
9 |
10.20% |
|
Kildare County Council |
969 |
341 |
35.20% |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
753 |
6 |
0.80% |
|
Laois County Council |
27 |
- |
0.00% |
|
Leitrim County Council |
16 |
- |
0.00% |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
1,638 |
16 |
1.00% |
|
Longford County Council |
24 |
- |
0.00% |
|
Louth County Council |
1,385 |
12 |
0.90% |
|
Mayo County Council |
492 |
298 |
60.60% |
|
Meath County Council |
650 |
213 |
32.80% |
|
Monaghan County Council |
333 |
8 |
2.40% |
|
Offaly County Council |
359 |
2 |
0.60% |
|
Roscommon County Council |
24 |
- |
0.00% |
|
Sligo County Council |
246 |
- |
0.00% |
|
South Dublin County Council |
1,636 |
52 |
3.20% |
|
Tipperary County Council |
1,220 |
102 |
8.40% |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
1,191 |
43 |
3.60% |
|
Westmeath County Council |
48 |
5 |
10.40% |
|
Wexford County Council |
69 |
2 |
2.90% |
|
Wicklow County Council |
77 |
3 |
3.90% |
|
Grand Total |
19,290 |
2,779 |
14.40% |
*Dublin City Council figures include homeless households assisted under the Homeless HAP scheme, under which additional discretion is available in recognition of the difficulty that can exist in housing homeless households.
More than 22,000 households are currently in receipt of HAP support. A breakdown by the number of households supported by HAP, including the number of Rent Supplement transfers in each local authority area for 2016 and for Q1 2017, 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.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. I am satisfied with how the HAP scheme is operating and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme under Rebuilding Ireland.
Rent Supplement is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection.
