Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

First, two legislative items will be necessary to introduce the scheme. One measure must come from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to introduce housing assistance payment, HAP, and the other must come from the Department of Social Protection with particular regard to deductions at source. As for the pilot areas, my Department is considering what would be appropriate pilot areas at present. I take Deputy Murphy's point that the Department should ensure it conducts its pilot schemes in areas in which genuine difficulties exist in order that we establish what are the problems and can learn from the pilots before implementing the full scheme. On her point regarding the lack of details, until the legislation is available and until the work with the County and City Managers Association has been done, this is as much detail as is available. However, more detail will be forthcoming as the year goes on and I will be happy to share it with Deputy Catherine Murphy and other Members of the House. On resources, deduction at source will be a big issue in terms of making it easier for the local authorities but obviously there also are other resource issues.

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