Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I very clearly remember that HAP came in because in the 2000s the rent assistance, which was originally an emergency payment, unfortunately became the norm as a housing policy. It was a huge mistake by that Government. Essentially it was the privatisation of housing. HAP was intended to allow people to go back to work while they were on a rental allowance. Rent allowance should never have been there. It always has been the intention to have HAP phased out.