Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. McCafferty, Ms Stakem and Ms O'Reilly for their attendance this morning. It has been most helpful and informative for us and I have some takeaways from what they said.

I note that Deputy Ó Broin has seconded Deputy Gould's proposal that while HAP is here for the medium term it needs a full review. Some partial work has been done on it, but there has not been the capability to do a full review. We will request the Department to review and assess the HAP. That makes perfect sense. It is the provision at the moment.

I have noted a number of issues that were raised regarding HAP.

The streamlining of that process and the administration that goes with it needs to be addressed and hopefully it can be in the review. On the security of tenure issue, the point was made about constant changing and constant turnover of tenancy, the backlog and the stress that creates for people who are constantly moving home and not knowing when their tenancy is going to end. It has one of the worst impacts on people's stress, quality of life and their children. Everybody is aware of that and it is definitely something we need to look at. The discretion variability, which I think Senator Cummins raised, is an important point. Flexibility should be given so that people are not constrained when dealing with different aspects of different tenancies and with their differing needs at various stages in their life.

One thing I heard today about which I am concerned is that rental supports are not being taken up. I believe Ms Stakem raised that point. This is something we need to address in order that we are not looking at severe arrears in six to 12 months' time or that is has a real impact on the quality of people's life in other areas because they are trying to meet rent when there is rental support available but they are not availing of it.

Unfortunately, we must finish now because of Covid restrictions, which means we have to finish on the hour at 1 p.m. The meeting stands adjourned until 9 a.m. on Thursday, 14 January 2021. Happy Christmas to all and I thank the secretariat for its assistance..