Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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532. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in a situation where the existing landlord refuses to be part of the housing assistance payment scheme and where a tenant is moved from rent supplement to a housing assistance payment, if the tenant may stay on rent supplement and therefore remain in the accommodation. [49032/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, which I published on 26 November 2014. The HAP scheme will bring all social housing supports provided by the State under the aegis of local authorities with those with a long term housing need transferring from rent supplement, on a phased basis, and newly presenting households with a social housing need also being able to avail of HAP. HAP will remove a barrier to employment by allowing recipients to remain in the scheme if they gain full-time employment. HAP will also improve regulation of the rented accommodation being supported and provide certainty for landlords as regards their rental income.

The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides the statutory framework for HAP. The Act also provides for certain amendments to the Social Welfare code to facilitate the introduction of HAP. In order to facilitate the gradual and orderly transfer from rent supplement to HAP, or other social housing options, the Act provides that the Department of Social Protection may request a person, who has been in receipt of rent supplement for a continuous period of 18 months or more, to apply for social housing support and a social housing assessment.

The first phase of the HAP statutory pilot commenced with effect from 15September 2014 in Limerick City and County Council, Waterford City and County Council and Cork County Council. Subsequently, from 1 October 2014, HAP commenced in Louth, Kilkenny, South Dublin and Monaghan County Councils. HAP in respect of homeless households will commence this week in Dublin City Council and Fingal and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Councils. There are now 411 households in receipt of HAP across the local authority areas taking part in the statutory pilot scheme.

Responsibility for rent supplement rests with my colleague the Minister for Social Protection. Where possible, in the interests of all concerned, if a Rent Supplement recipient moving to HAP can stay in the existing accommodation that can be facilitated under HAP. It is a matter for individual landlords whether or not they agree to participate in HAP, in the same manner as they can currently choose whether to participate in the Rent Supplement Scheme. Where an individual landlord decides not to enter the HAP scheme, a rent supplement recipient may continue to receive rent supplement payments.

A full review of the statutory pilot phase of the scheme will be carried out in advance of full roll out of HAP in 2015. This review will include data and learning from the pilot authorities in relation to the implementation of the statutory scheme including how best to ensure an optimum transfer from Rent Supplement to HAP for households.

There has been ongoing contact and information sharing with landlord representative bodies as HAP has been developed and rolled out and this will continue.