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Housing Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 February 2022

Wednesday, 16 February 2022

Questions (108)

John Brady

Question:

108. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of times the discretionary top-up for housing assistance payments was used in 2021 in County Wicklow broken down by municipal district; and the average percentage amount of this top-up per municipal district. [8544/22]

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Written answers

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q3 2021, over 97,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 62,000 households actively in receipt of HAP support, including 1,708 households in Wicklow. 

Local authorities have discretion, because of local rental market conditions, to exceed the maximum rent limit by up to 20%, or up to 50% in the Dublin region for those households either in, or at immediate risk of homelessness. It is a matter for each local authority to determine whether the application of a discretionary increase is warranted, and the level of such an increase, on a case-by-case basis. 

A breakdown of the number of HAP tenancies at end Q3 2021 and the average discretionary increase paid for each of the municipal districts in Wicklow is detailed in the table below.

Municipal Area  

Active Tenancies @ end Q3 2021

No. of tenancies that received discretion 

Average Discretion Rate  

Arklow

668

178

16%

Baltinglass

168

50

16%

Bray

239

89

17%

Greystones

169

81

19%

Wicklow

371

118

17%

Other*

93

63

18%

*inter-authority movements, whilst the tenant is registered with Wicklow, the tenancy is outside of the county.

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