Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of the housing assistance payment, HAP, and figures that were released to Deputy Gould. These figures show that this system of housing supports is not working and that it is time for a review of all rent subsidies. HAP does not offer security of tenure or help people in need of long-term housing and HAP limits are not in line with market rents. HAP rates are particularly low for single people and this has long been raised as an issue. It is near impossible to rent a property within the HAP limits as a single person in this State. The problem is bad across the country, but Dublin has been especially impacted. For example, in South Dublin County Council, there are 2,888 people on HAP and that figure does not include those on homeless HAP. Of those 2,888 people, nearly 17% are in receipt of a discretionary top-up and of those, 46% are in receipt of the maximum top-up of 20%. This shows that the HAP rates are not reflective of the rental market in Tallaght.

The announcement by the Minister for Housing, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, that he is to build 400 cost rental properties this year clearly falls short when we look at the number of people we have in receipt of HAP. According to the daft.ie quarter 4 2020 report, the average rent in the South Dublin County Council area is €1,814 and continuing to rise. With a maximum HAP limit for a family with three children of €1,300, a 20% top-up does not begin to cover the rent needed. We know people are paying cash top-ups and that this is putting them under serious financial strain. I would like to have a debate on this issue. I know the Minister agreed before his appointment that these limits needed to be reviewed. Now that he is the Minister, maybe it is time he started acting on that.