Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is an issue in that the funding could have been used for other activities.

I want to move on to the cost of the housing assistance payment, HAP, to the Exchequer. I see from the appropriation accounts that €465 million was allocated in 2020. Notwithstanding the increased costs in the rental market, that the maximum rent payable under the HAP scheme has not been revised since 2017 and that the average monthly HAP to landlords has increased by about 10% between 2018 and 2020, my first question is on a report completed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that made recommendations on the improvement of the Department’s oversight and management of the HAP, including the monitoring of its effectiveness. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage accepted these recommendations. Has the Department implemented them? Could Mr. Doyle provide an overview of the work done in this area?