Ms Áine Stapleton:

I will also just mention that, with regard to the balance of expenditure between these types of schemes and new build social homes, that ratio was approximately 50:50 in 2016. In 2022, approximately 25% will go towards supporting tenancies through HAP, RAS and rent supplement under the Department of Social Protection while 75% will go towards new build social homes. The trajectory is very much towards the delivery of additional social homes. We hope that over time we will see a decline in the overall reliance on schemes such as HAP as additional social homes are delivered. Colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform engage with us on that.

With regard to the rent limits, as we touched on earlier, we are committed under Housing for All to look at a review of the level of the discretionary element, the 20% for standard HAP tenants.