Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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872. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the way a person (details supplied) in County Cork, who was awarded a housing assistance payment by Cork County Council, can obtain payment for the period between application and award; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11289/15]

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. The scheme 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.

Further to the enactment of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 on 28 July 2014, the first phase of the HAP statutory pilot commenced with effect from 15 September 2014 in Limerick City and County Council, Waterford City and County Council and Cork County Council. HAP commenced in Louth, Kilkenny, South Dublin and Monaghan County Councils from 1 October 2014. Subsequently, on 18 December 2014, Dublin City Council became part of the statutory HAP pilot, with a specific focus on accommodating homeless households. Dublin City Council is implementing the HAP pilot for homeless households in the Dublin region on behalf of all four Dublin local authorities, including Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

There are now more than 1,2 00 householdsbeing supported by HAP across the local authority areas taking part in the statutory pilot scheme. The first phase of the pilot hasallowed for significant learning that will be applied to the next phase of the pilot.

While I cannot comment on individual cases, I can confirm that all valid and complete HAP applications are processed in a timely and efficient manner by the shared services HAP transaction centre operated by Limerick City and County Council. Subject to certain conditions, a payment to a landlord, net of the tenant contribution for the relevant period, can now be backdated to the date of receipt of a valid and complete HAP application by a local authority. If an applicant wishes to make an inquiry regarding an application they should contact their local authority directly.