Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

In the long run or even in the medium term, I am not in favour of pouring huge amounts of money into rent support, but I accept that for now, until we address the social housing deficit, we must do it. We have to give people options. However, this is a matter of urgency. I am not exaggerating. Everybody who is approaching me, and the number has been increasing over the last few months, are doing so often because they are being evicted from HAP tenancies. By the way, I appeal to the Minister on that ground. If people are being evicted from HAP tenancies on grounds of sale, the local authorities should just buy those properties straight away. Why would they not? If they are for sale and one can prevent people being made homeless, just buy them so we do not have the same people knocking on the council's door and saying they are homeless.

In the meantime, there is a massive gap between the HAP limits and the actual rents. The HAP increases must be introduced as a matter of urgency. Otherwise the numbers going into homeless accommodation are going to increase. Even the place finder service is sending people out to look at places which the HAP limits would not allow them to view. It is ridiculous at this point. They have to be increased as a matter of urgency. Otherwise people who are looking for a rental property and do not have a roof over their heads or are facing eviction are in really deep trouble.

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