Written answers

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Housing Assistance Payments Implementation

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

814. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if persons in receipt of housing assistance payment retain their homeless priority on local authority housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14693/15]

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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. As HAP is deemed to be a social housing support under section 19 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, as amended, households in receipt of HAP are not included on the local authority waiting list for social housing support. However, HAP recipients may access other forms of social housing supports by applying to go on the local authority transfer list.

I issued a statutory direction to the authorities involved in the first phase of the HAP statutory pilot, including those involved in the HAP pilot with a specific focus on accommodating homeless households, instructing them to take the necessary steps to ensure that households benefiting from HAP can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support, should they wish to do so, through the transfer option. I also directed that HAP recipients, who apply to go on the transfer list, should get full credit for the time they spent on the waiting list and be placed on the transfer list with no less favourable terms than if they had remained on the waiting list. In practice, housing authorities inform HAP recipients in writing of their entitlement to apply to go on the transfer list when they are approved for HAP.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.