Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 June 2022
217. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify exactly when housing assistance payment rates will be increased; if he will acknowledge that an increase will help some tenants to remain in properties in which rents have risen and will also provide for others waiting to be housed to access more dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33330/22]
View answerI am working with Government colleagues and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to provide for an increase in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) discretion rate to 35% and for new tenancies, to expand the couple’s rate to single persons where required. This will secure more tenancies and prevent new entries to homelessness.
Further details will be available when this engagement process is complete.
I am committed to decreasing our reliance on subsidies and we will only do that through significantly scaling up our social housing supply. ‘Housing for All’ sets us on a pathway to delivering 90,000 social homes between now and the end of 2030, including 9,000 homes this year.
