Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to comment on the housing assistance payment and rental accommodation schemes and why people try to rent under them. The answer the IPAV representatives provided does not quite address the issues raised. The Government housing strategy was to deliver 100,000 social houses and was based on 80% of these units coming from the private sector. Obviously, and I think we all agree, that is not now going to happen.

I will set out some examples. Last week, we had people in our office in Limerick looking for a house. They had been to the housing officer in the local authority and the advice from Limerick City and County Council in recent months has been to the effect that there are no houses and that people should rent privately and get on the HAP scheme. People have returned to our office having been to all the auctioneers in the city and informed that the latter are not dealing with HAP tenants. The IPAV deputation said it would be down to the landlord but these people are not even getting to apply for the properties that become available. They are being told the properties are gone even though they are still on the daft.iewebsite. We have rung from our office after certain properties were supposedly gone only to find out that they were not gone. The IPAV should talk to the people who are letting these properties and explain how HAP and RAS operate. The vast majority of these tenants are decent tenants who are simply looking for someone to stay. I understand there is a supply issue and that people will go for the biggest price. Perhaps auctioneers should say that to people rather than saying they do not take HAP or RAS tenants. That is what we are seeing. Although it runs contrary to the legislation, that is clearly what is being said by estate agents in Limerick. I can vouch for that much.