Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. I will make a number of points, taking into account the context in which the question is framed and the Daft.ie report. It is important to note that the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, has its own rent index. This is based on a much larger data set, with more aggregate. It is based on actual registered tenancies and rents paid, not rents advertised. The index is more accurate. The data it contains relates to the quarters during which the rent pressures zones, RPZs, have already been in effect. The Daft.ieresearch includes data from 2016 when the RPZs were not in existence. We work to the data from the RTB. While it shows an increase in rents, it also shows that the RPZs are having the intended effect in terms of keeping rent inflation below 4%. Obviously, with every quarter, RPZs will take effect in new areas. Most recently, zones came into effect in Drogheda and Wicklow.

I welcome the Deputy's comments on the role HAP plays, particularly as it does not always get the support it should. It is a very significant measure that is being implemented by the State, using taxpayers' money to provide housing supports for people to access accommodation in the private rented sector. We do not have enough social housing units to accommodate the needs of all relevant citizens at present. Until we build more social housing units - and we have a programme for that - we will have to use other means. HAP is one way in which we can actually find secure sustainable tenancies for people, with which they are very happy, into the long term. This is evidenced by the number of HAP tenancies that have been achieved every week this year. The figure will increase next year. It is expected that approximately 47,000 tenancies will be supported in the course of 2018. HAP plays a very significant role. One of the important things we have done in the aftermath of the housing summit I hosted in September is that we have made arrangements to roll out the HAP place finder and the supports relating to it nationally. As a result, where people experience difficulties in getting deposits or their first month's rent together, that support can help them to obtain tenancies. The vast majority of people do not need help but there are some who do. It is important that we have the support in place to help them.

One of the things the homeless inter-agency group I set up following the housing summit is doing is ensuring that the Departments of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and Housing, Planning and Local Government, local authorities and the HSE are working together to ensure that the resources that are being invested - there is a great deal of money involved - benefit people who are in need of support and are being used in an effective way. We have other programmes, such as the Abhaile service, that can help. We have to be sensitive to people's individual needs. This sometimes means that we have to deal with issues on a case-by-case basis. Some cases are challenging because they involve complex needs. There is no reason that a person should be sleeping in a car at all on any night of the year. We have supports in place-----