Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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225. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the average waiting times across all four Dublin local authorities to process housing assistance payment applications, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25512/17]

Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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226. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if there are delays in processing an application for housing assistance payment, if he will guarantee that arrears will be paid from the date of application to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25513/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together.

I am not aware of any delays in processing of applications for housing assistance payments (HAP). 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 is eligible for HAP.The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 provide that subject to conditions, a housing authority shall deal with such an application within a period of 12 weeks. Local authorities will prioritise housing needs assessments for those in greatest need and average waiting times are significantly shorter that the statutory maximum in many areas.

Under the HAP scheme, eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rented sector. The earliest date a HAP payment will issue to a landlord is the date a complete and valid HAP application has been received by the local authority.  Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective transactional shared service on behalf of all HAP local authorities. This HAP Shared Service Centre (SSC) manage 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. On average, HAP applications are processed by the HAP Shared Service Centre within 1 working day of receipt. Any rental payment arising for a given month will then be made to a landlord on the last Wednesday of that month.

More than 22,000 households are currently in receipt of HAP support, with more than 17,000 separate landlords and agents involved in providing accommodation to those households. My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. In general, I am satisfied with the operation of the 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.