Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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539. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the safeguards there will be under the new housing assistance payment for persons with disabilities, including those with a mental health difficulty; if there will be flexibility in terms of the rent cap payable under the HAP in the same way that Community Welfare Officers had discretion under the rent supplement scheme; his plans to ensure that persons with mental health difficulties do not have their recovery jeopardized by the threat of homelessness due to inflexible rent caps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45383/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides, inter alia, for the introduction of t he Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). HAP is currently being piloted in seven local authority areas. For the purpose of the pilot phase, the rent limits prescribed for the rent supplement scheme by the Department of Social Protection, have been prescribed as the rent limits for HAP purposes in the seven areas concerned. It is intended that Dublin City Council will shortly commence a HAP pilot for the Dublin region which focuses particularly on homeless households.

Under HAP, similarly to the situation that pertains in rent supplement, eligible households source their own accommodation within the private rented market. The local authority pays the rent directly to the landlord, on behalf of the household, and the household pays a rental contribution to the local authority based on the differential rent scheme for the relevant local authority.

The HAP pilot phase is being implemented by the local authorities concerned under the stewardship of the HAP Project Board, which includes representatives from my Department and the Department of Social Protection. During the pilot phase as issues arise, for instance in relation to particular categories or make-up of households that cannot be readily dealt with under the Scheme by local authorities, such cases are examined on a case by case basis by the Project Board. The learning from the pilot phase will in turn inform the full roll out of HAP to all local authorities, broadening the current range of social housing supports available to local authorities to meet housing need generally, including households or persons with a disability or mental health difficulty.