Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:2933. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of applicants on the RAS and HAP transfer lists. [33561/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 23 July 2019
Ceisteanna (2933)
Freagraí scríofa
The practical operation of transfer lists is a matter for each local authority to manage, on the basis of their own scheme of letting priorities. The setting of such schemes is a reserved function of the local authority and, as such, is a matter for the elected members. My Department does not gather or hold any information on households that are seeking a transfer to an alternative social housing support and are currently having their housing needs met through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or any other form of social housing support. It is ultimately up to the household to choose if they wish to be placed on a local authority’s transfer list.
The assessment of applications for social housing support and management of the lists of qualified households, including the recording of data on the number of applications refused, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated regulations. The assessment of individual applicants for social housing support is a matter for the individual local authority, and each application is examined on a case by case basis. It is a matter for the local authority to determine the housing solution that best meets the needs of the applicant, while taking into account the resources and type of housing available to the authority. Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP and RAS schemes, to determine the most appropriate form of support for that household.