Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 February 2017
222. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of family units that are recipients of the housing assistance payment within each local authority area and county by location within that authority or county; the amount received by household type and size; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4891/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra223. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the cost of HAP for each administrative unit or county for 2016; the number of recipients by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4900/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 together.
The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a key Government priority and the accelerated roll-out of the scheme on a national basis is an important early action for completion in the Government’s Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, Rebuilding Ireland.
HAP is now available to all qualified households in 28 local authority areas, with over 17,300 households currently being supported by the scheme. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) is also managing a HAP Homeless Pilot for the four Dublin local authorities. 12,075 additional HAP tenancies were set-up in 2016 exceeding the scheme’s Rebuilding Ireland target of 12,000 tenancies for the year. The final roll-out of HAP will be comp l eted with the introduction of the scheme to Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council areas from 1 March, 2017.
The HAP scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. The provisional Exchequer outturn for the HAP scheme in 2016 was in excess of €57 million. The majority of this funding is to support the ongoing costs of tenancies established in 2015 that continued into 2016, and the costs of the 12,075 additional households supported by the scheme in 2016. Budget 2017 has increased the Exchequer funding for the HAP scheme to €152.7 million, in order to meet the continuing costs of existing HAP households, and the costs of supporting an additional 15,000 households to be supported by HAP in 2017.
A breakdown of household s supported by HAP by household class within each local authority area at end 2016 is currently being collated and will be published on my Department’s website shortly . A breakdown of the cost of supporting HAP tenancies by local authority in 2016 will also be compiled and provided to the Deputy, along with other data requested, in accordance with Standing Orders.
The table provides the number of additional HAP tenancies set-up by local authority in 2016:
|
Local Authority |
Total HAP Tenancies Set-up 2016 |
|
Carlow County Council |
365 |
|
Clare County Council |
832 |
|
Cork City Council |
941 |
|
Cork County Council |
1,050 |
|
Donegal County Council |
952 |
|
Galway City Council |
336 |
|
Galway County Council |
381 |
|
Kerry County Council |
7 |
|
Kildare County Council |
773 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
324 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
3 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
653 |
|
Longford County Council |
1 |
|
Louth County Council |
697 |
|
Mayo County Council |
412 |
|
Meath County Council |
489 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
171 |
|
Offaly County Council |
244 |
|
Sligo County Council |
211 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
981 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
929 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
509 |
|
Wexford County Council |
1 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
3 |
|
Dublin Regional Homeless Executive* |
810 |
|
Grand Total |
12,075 |
*DRHE is operating the HAP Homeless pilot on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities
A summary of the household classes supported by the HAP scheme at 31 December 2016 is set out below:
- Single/Single Sharing - 32%
- Couple/Couple Sharing - 4%
- Lone Parent with Children - 39%
- Couple with Children - 25%.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. I am very 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.
