Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is not a case of having no choice. HAP is one of the many solutions. There are approximately 23 or 24 housing schemes and HAP is but one. It has been very successful in some places. It does not prevent the recipient from working or increasing his income. Some of the older rent assistance schemes prevent one from going back to work or from bettering oneself. HAP has been designed to address this. The recipients are not being put off a housing list. They are still on a transfer list, which is the housing list. People have come off HAP and have taken a social house. They are quite entitled to do so if their number comes up and if they are next on the list. That is a local administration issue. HAP is part of a solution that, in my view, will work quite well. We will need more housing supply to be able to use HAP. We are committed to social housing and HAP is another solution in this regard.

Deputy Pat Casey raised a couple of issues. On the environmental impact statement, I will have to check the details. I am not sure about the question so I will check and clarify for Committee Stage, or even before it. I dealt with the issue of the material contravention. The Deputy wants to table amendments. What was his other question?

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