Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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198. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that the proposed housing assistance payment which will replace rent supplement will continue to be paid while a case is being heard by the Private Residential Tenancies Board, even if a landlord's termination notice has expired, in view of the fact that it is necessary to have a termination notice in order for the PRTB to hear the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23413/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The details of the proposed Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP) are being developed by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection, the County and City Managers Association and other relevant bodies through the project Steering Group. It is intended that the HAP scheme will come under the remit of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004.

Section 86(1) (a) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 provides that tenants must continue to pay rent pending the determination of a dispute that has been referred to the Private Residential Tenancies Board.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No 2) Bill 2012 Bill was published on 19 July 2012 and Second Stage in the Dáil concluded on 24 January 2013. It is proposed to include measures in the Bill during Committee Stage to address the problem of rent arrears and the over-holding of rented properties by tenants during the dispute process. This will allow the issue of non-payment of rent to be addressed promptly and separately to other elements of a tenant-landlord dispute if necessary.