I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 to 119, inclusive, and 127 together.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and leasing agreements, which include the Repair and Leasing scheme (RLS), are all forms of social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need.
The table below shows the number of:
- HAP active tenancies at year end as well as the number of new tenancies in 2020 and 2021;
- RAS active tenancies at year end as well as the number of new tenancies in 2020 and 2021; and
- Leasing agreements (under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme) at year end as well as the number of new agreements in 2020 and 2021.
Please note there were no new RLS agreements in either local authority area during 2020 and 2021.
Year
|
Local Authority Area
|
Leasing Agreements*
|
HAP Tenancies
|
RAS Tenancies
|
2020
|
Longford
|
26 New and 122 Active
|
110 New and 379 Active
|
1 New and 200 Active
|
|
Westmeath
|
54 New and 386 Active
|
255 New and 1,014 Active
|
22 New and 539 Active
|
2021
|
Longford
|
18 New and 144 Active
|
79 New and 377 Active
|
2 New and 186 Active
|
|
Westmeath
|
77 New and 433 Active
|
158 New and
975 Active
|
22 New and 507 Active
|
*The values provided include properties leased by AHBs directly, leased by Local Authorities from private owners under long term and short term agreements, Enhanced leasing, Mortgage to Rent, NARPS, the Repair and Leasing Scheme and Unsold Affordables.
Data for Q1 2022 is currently being compiled and will be available in the coming weeks.
Under the Housing for All strategy, the Government plans to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 homes per year over the next decade, including an average of 10,000 new build social homes. As new build supply of social housing ramps up, there will be reducing reliance on the HAP and RAS schemes. Long term leasing will be phased out by 2025 and my Department is continuing to engage with local authorities in this regard.