Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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8. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government regarding HAP tenancies where one income earner moves out, to ensure that the remaining tenant is not financially adversely affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65844/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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In traditional council housing or social housing if the tenant's income changes or the number of people in the house changes because kids leave or anybody leaves, the tenant does not get thrown out of the house. They do not get threatened with possible homelessness. They do not build up arrears. The rent is adjusted to the tenant's means and to the number of people in the house. That does not happen if the tenant is in the HAP scheme and, by the way, it does not happen if they are in cost rental so tenants can very quickly find themselves in trouble. What is the Minister of State going to do about that?

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The HAP scheme continues to play a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of quarter 2, 2025, over 128,500 HAP tenancies had been set up since the scheme commenced, of which 51,736 households were actively in receipt of HAP support. Under HAP,a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rental market. This accommodation should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned. Where a tenant’s circumstances change, including their household size, they should notify the relevant local authority. The local authority can then review the household circumstances, including in relation to differential rent charged and the relevant HAP rate to apply. Since 11 July 2022, each local authority has had statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit, or up to 50% in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. Additional flexibility was also given for local authorities to apply a couple HAP rate to single person households. Recognising that newer tenancies are at a higher cost than existing tenancies, the measure only applied to new tenancies. It is a matter for the local authority to determine if the application of discretion is warranted on a case-by-case basis and the level of discretion applied in each case. Local authorities are encouraged to focus the application of discretion on alleviating financial burden for HAP tenants wherever possible, particularly for those in difficult financial circumstances. I have recently approved a review of existing HAP rent limits to ensure there is sufficient support under the HAP scheme to assist eligible households in accessing accommodation in the private rental sector. My Department is currently finalising the parameters of this review. The Deputy Boyd Barrett might elaborate on the specific circumstances he was talking about.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Sylvia is in a HAP tenancy for five years. From the beginning she was also paying a top-up to her landlord. She used to live with her eldest son. He has moved out. The landlord has also increased the rent and Sylvia used to get a carers' payment for her father, but her father passed away so she does not get that payment. She has been hit three different ways, with increased rent, lower income and now fewer people in the house. She went to the council, as the Minister of State proposed she do, and the officials said: "Tough luck". The rent is €2,000 to the private landlord, because that is the problem with HAP. Is the council willing to help her out? No, it is not willing to because the Government's rules actually preclude it. Therefore, rent arrears are building up and fairly soon she will be threatened with homelessness unless something is done. By the way, the same thing is happening with cost rental for tenants where people move out and they are faced with the same rent and have less income. What are they supposed to do?

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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It is good to see the Deputy back to his passionate best. The Department and the Minister are very aware of the pressures on existing tenancies and it is existing tenancies the Deputy is talking about. The particular issues around that are currently under active consideration by the Department and it is something we are actively looking at in terms of existing tenancies and affordability. I note the point. I do not know the particular circumstances regarding Sylvia. If the Deputy wants us to follow up with the local authority we will, if we can assist in any way. We recognise the point the Deputy has made.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I appreciate that and I will send the Minister of State Sylvia's details, but, as he can see, there is a more general problem. There is somebody who works in here - I will not give away their identity- who is on a very modest income. They got cost-rental accommodation at €1,200, but their son was living with them who was earning. The son has moved out but they are stuck with a €1,200 rent but with half the income. What are they supposed to do? They have not got the money to pay for their son's rent as well, but cost rental does not work the same way as social housing where the rent is adjusted. Given the Government's new housing plan is proposing essentially to do away with differential rents and social housing in favour of cost rental, this is going to cause a big problem. Itt is going to be much more general and it is happening under HAP. A lot of people are getting caught with this and we are going to see more and more of it, so there is going to have to be a plan because people will end up homeless from cost-rental and from HAP tenancies. That is what going to happen. The Minister of State has got to address it and the councils have to address it.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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If the Deputy wishes to send us on the details regarding, Sylvia, the lady he referenced he can. As I said earlier, the Minister and the Department are fully aware of the pressures people are under, particularly in terms of the Deputy's question around HAP. A review is under way in that particular regard. We note the point the Deputy is raising in terms of cost rental as well and it is something we will consider.