Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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346. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if persons in receipt of rent allowance that refuse to transfer to a HAP payment for reasons including losing the time spent on the housing waiting list can have their rent allowance discontinued or be threatened with same, as in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12183/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned received a letter from the Department under Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 Section 198 (3G)(a)(i)(1) as inserted by Section 54 (3) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, requesting them to apply to South Dublin County Council for social housing support which includes the housing assistance payment (HAP). All customers residing in a HAP area are obliged to register for the HAP scheme. The person concerned is required to register his interest in being considered for the HAP scheme. This requirement with the local authority is to facilitate the transfer of rent supplement to HAP. Once this registration takes place rent supplement payment will not be affected.

If a customer is offered the HAP scheme, it is open to the person concerned to contact the relevant county council within 2 weeks and request they retain their current position on the social housing list.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.