Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2015
766. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of housing assistance payment recipients in counties Longford and Westmeath in 2014 and to date in 2015, and estimated for 2016. [23318/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 , which I published on 26 November 2014. The HAP scheme will bring all social housing supports provided by the State under the aegis of local authorities. The scheme will remove a barrier to employment by allowing recipients to remain in the scheme if they gain full-time employment. HAP will also improve regulation of the rented accommodation being supported and provide certainty for landlords as regards their rental income. Further to the enactment of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 on 28 July 2014, the first phase of the HAP statutory pilot commenced with effect from 15 September 2014 in Limerick City and County Council, Waterford City and County Council and Cork County Council. HAP commenced in Louth, Kilkenny, South Dublin and Monaghan County Councils from 1 October 2014. Subsequently, on 18 December 2014, Dublin City Council became part of the statutory HAP pilot, with a specific focus on accommodating homeless households. Dublin City Council is implementing the HAP pilot for homeless households in the Dublin region on behalf of all 4 Dublin local authorities.
During the legislation’s passage through the Oireachtas in July 2014 an undertaking was given that a progress report would be prepared for the relevant Oireachtas Committee. I can confirm that data from the pilot sites has been gathered and I submitted a report to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht at the end of April 2015. Based on the findings of that review, the second phase of the HAP statutory pilot has recently commenced with the HAP scheme becoming operational in Donegal County Council on 25 May 2015 and in Offaly County Council on the 15 June, 2015. HAP will become operational in Carlow, Clare and Tipperary County Councils and Cork City Council from 29 June 2015 .
While there are currently no plans to include Longford and Westmeath County Councils in this phase of the pilot, the Social Housing Strategy 2020 sets ambitious targets for the roll-out of HAP across all local authorities. Specifically, the Strategy requires that all eligible households that require HAP will transition to the new scheme between 2014 and 2020. As such, both of these local authorities will be included in further phases of the roll-out of HAP.
