Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I did not say that HAP has no advantages. Rather, I was pointing to and emphasising the economics of it. I know there are some advantages to HAP, such as people being able to work. Before 2011, when I was a councillor, rent supplement cost significantly less than €300 million. The HAP, rental accommodation scheme, RAS and rent supplement now cost over €500 million, although the RAS and rent supplement are being done away with. An unemployed person who has a family and monthly rent of €1,400 will seek €1,000 from the State towards that rent. That is the reality of what is happening and it is bad economics. We need to look at building more social housing. I keep emphasising that point. It bugs me that we have missed opportunities to acquire homes, such as when Ires Reit bought large numbers of apartments in Hampton Wood. If we are not building homes, we at least should try to buy them. We will get better value for money in the long run if we do so. That is the point I was making to the Minister. It greatly upsets me that Ires Reit has 130 units in Hampton Wood, and will benefit from HAP. The council has taken 50 units and will take more because it wants to try to get people into homes, whether under HAP or otherwise.