Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2017
620. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the estimate for the various rent supports - RAS, HAP, rent assistance and so on - in each of the years from 2018 to 2021; if increases over and above the current levels of assistance are envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48968/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2018 has increased the Exchequer funding for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme by €149m to €301 million. This will allow for the continued support of existing HAP households at end 2017 and also enable the additional 17,000 households targeted under Rebuilding Ireland to be supported by HAP in 2018, as well as supporting the roll-out of the HAP Place Finder Service across the country.
€134.3 million is provided in Budget 2018 to support the cost of the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). Monies are provided on an Exchequer neutral basis to meet the costs of persons transferring from the Rent Supplement (RS) Scheme to the RAS. This is the same as the 2017 budgetary provision for the scheme.
I am satisfied that the resources allocated under Budget 2018 to each of these schemes provides sufficient flexibility to react to market demands. The allocations for current housing programmes, including HAP and RAS, from 2019 to 2021 will form part of the annual Estimates processes.
Rent Supplement is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
