Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1094. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government how it is intended to qualify a family as being homeless in light of the new housing assistance payment regulations in respect of the Kildare County Council area, where many families are living in overcrowded family situations, but might not be formally registered as homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38203/15]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1095. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government how it is intended, to administer controls on the issue of top-up rents where the housing assistance payment system will underfund tenancies in Kildare by up to 50%, to assist families who are unable to cope with this situation; if it will impact on their future eligibility for housing supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38204/15]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1094 and 1095 together.

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is deemed to be a social housing support under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. As a long-term housing support, an assessment of housing need must be completed in order for a household to qualify for HAP. Any household with an identified housing need, including a homeless household, is eligible for HAP. Once in receipt of HAP, a household’s housing needs are considered to be met.

I have issued a statutory direction to the local authorities involved in the HAP statutory pilot, 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 have 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.

The statutory pilot for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme commenced in September 2014 and has been introduced incrementally to 15 local authority areas to date - Limerick City and County Council, Waterford City and County Council, Cork, Louth, Kilkenny, South Dublin, Monaghan, Donegal, Offaly, Carlow, Clare and Tipperary County Councils, and Cork City Council. Kildare and Meath County Councils commenced HAP on 2 November 2015, and Galway, Mayo and Sligo County Councils will introduce the scheme from 16 November 2015.

The maximum rent limits for different household classes that apply in each local authority where HAP has been commenced are set out in regulations and are generally based on the Rent Supplement limits as set out by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In prescribing these limits, household size and prevailing rents in the relevant areas are taken into consideration. My Department works closely with the Department of Social Protection and monitors data which it gathers, along with PRTB data, and data gathered through HAP pilot authorities, in relation to the rent limits applying.

In recognition of the need for greater flexibility in the challenging Dublin region rental market, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and I have signed the Housing Assistance Payment (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2015, which provide for the introduction of HAP in Kildare County Council with maximum rent limits equivalent to current Rent Supplement rates applicable in the neighbouring Dublin area. In recognition of the need for additional discretion in areas of high rental demand, and similar to the flexibility I have already provided for the operation of HAP in South Dublin County Council, these regulations provide for an additional 20% flexibility above the maximum rent limits that apply for the purposes of HAP in the administrative areas of Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Galway County Council, Kildare County Council and Meath County Council. This additional flexibility will facilitate a greater number of qualifying households to source suitable accommodation in these local authority areas.

This approach mirrors the approach already taken by the Department of Social Protection in the operation of the discretion available in the context of the Rent Supplement scheme. My Department is preparing guidance for the relevant local authorities in the appropriate use of this increased flexibility. I will continue to keep HAP rent limits under review.