Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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250. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider extending the homeless housing assistance payment scheme pilot to other cities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19524/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As of 4 July 2016, 467 homeless households, referred by the homeless units, including the Homeless HAP Pilot Scheme being managed by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive, are being supported by the HAP scheme in the following local authority areas:

The recent increases to rent limits under both the HAP and Rent Supplement Schemes, together with the flexibility and discretion that has now been made available to local authorities operating HAP, will prove to be significant tools in alleviating the pressure experienced by families in the rented sector, while other longer term housing measures are put in place. These changes will help households to remain in their existing homes while also providing sufficient flexibility to enable people to source accommodation in a constrained rental market.

My Department will continue to carefully monitor the impact of the recent revision of the HAP maximum rent limits and the ongoing operation and rollout of the HAP scheme, including the Homeless HAP pilot.