Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 27 March 2018

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)

2:45 pm

Photo of Pat CaseyPat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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While I appreciate that, the majority of the 49,000 tenants availing of the housing assistance payment, HAP, want a permanent solution and do not want to live in private rented accommodation. I agree that a percentage of them want to live in a private rented accommodation. While HAP is a necessary scheme, it involves spending a large amount on a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Perhaps the pendulum will start to swing back at some point after 2021 and the HAP will not be required to the same extent as it is now.