Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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150. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the ban on housing assistance payment will be lifted from Ballymun. [23493/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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One of the key functions of housing authorities is to provide or manage the provision of social housing support in a way that counteracts undue segregation between persons of different social backgrounds and ensures the provision of an appropriate mix of dwelling types and tenure classes.

Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that household in the administrative area of that local authority. Accordingly, local authorities may refuse to provide HAP in an area where they consider there to be an over concentration of social housing supports in place.

My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. In general, I am satisfied with the operation of HAP scheme and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.