Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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We must have a clear system whereby a person is either in receipt of the HAP or rent supplement. The Department of Social Protection will retain discretionary powers to provide for exceptional cases. If for some reason a person appears to be falling through the cracks, it will still be able to provide a supplementary welfare type support which will be adequate to meet his or her housing need. In other words, we will not leave people in Limbo.

Deputy Catherine Murphy asked about people who crossed from one area into another. There is an issue in that regard, particularly in counties like hers in which services provided in Dublin are not provided. I doubt that we can cover that issue in this legislation, but we need to look at it in the general context of homelessness and access to housing.

Deputy Dessie Ellis asked whether if people were on a social housing list if they were in receipt of the HAP. Generally, they have been assessed for the provision of social housing. However, there are and will be cases in which people will not necessarily have to undergo an assessment for social housing, particularly where rent supplement is only required in the short term. Short-term rent supplement will continue to be available for some, for example, for persons who lose their jobs.