Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If the witness does not mind, I just want clarification on HAP. I have a major issue with this. There are now rent pressure zones, as we are calling them, in the local authorities in Dublin and Cork. I think it has also been rolled out to 12 other areas. It is very confusing and I believe it is very unfair. I think the criteria brought in for the statistics are way off the mark. It is doing damage. When one county is getting it and its neighbour is not, it is very unfair. There are 12 local authorities plus Dublin and Cork getting it. If it is being given, it should be given to the 31 local authorities. I believe that would be fair. I know there is pressure in certain areas, but what is pressure for one area might be different in another area. In Carlow, the lack of housing supply is a major pressure for us. It might be double the rate of somewhere else. The criteria are the same for all 31 local authorities and I have massive issues with that. In the long term, would the Department look at extending the scheme further? There are about five areas that I have been making representations for and I have been told that they will not qualify for it.