Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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558. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason the housing assistance payment is not payable from the date of application rather than the date of approval, leading to significant financial burden on persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24674/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment ( HAP ) scheme is a key Government priority. The accelerated rollout of the scheme on a national basis is an important early action for completion in the Government’s Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness– Rebuilding Ireland. Local authorities and my Department are working closely together in order to ensure the successful implementation of the scheme. Limerick City and County Council is currently providing a highly effective transactional shared service on behalf of all HAP local authorities. This HAP Shared Service Centre (SSC) currently manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. Once a HAP application has been received and confirmed as valid by the relevant local authority, it is then processed by the HAP SSC. Any rental payment arising for a given month will then be made to a landlord on the last Wednesday of that month. HAP rental payments are payable to the landlord from the date of confirmation of receipt of a valid and complete application form. If an applicant wishes to make an inquiry regarding an application they should contact their local authority directly.