Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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749. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the implementation of the housing assistance payment scheme; the counties in which the scheme will be rolled out on a phased basis in 2015; when it will be rolled out in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14111/15]

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. Subsequently, on 18 December, 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 4 Dublin local authorities, including Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

There are now over 1,400 households in receipt of HAP across the local authority areas taking part in the statutory pilot scheme.

During the legislation’s passage through the Oireachtas in July 2014 an undertaking was given that a report would be prepared for the relevant Oireachtas Committee. Data for this report is being gathered from pilot sites and a progress report will be submitted to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht shortly. Based on data gathered for the review, consideration is currently being given to the sequencing of a further cohort of local authorities to commence HAP as part of the pilot on an incremental basis this year. While no implementation date has yet been agreed, my Department is in contact with Donegal County Council in relation to their inclusion in the next phase of HAP statutory pilot.