Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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2268. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will take steps to increase rent supplement and housing assistance payment limits to realistic levels in order that they are in line with market rents as a homelessness prevention measure and to protect tenants from having to make unsustainable top ups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29120/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is now available to all eligible households throughout the State. There are currently 23,000 households in receipt of HAP, including more than 7,000 households that were previously supported by Rent Supplement. There are currently more than 18,000 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the HAP scheme. On average in 2017, 330 new households are being supported by HAP each week.

The Government increased the maximum rent limits available under the HAP and Rent Supplement schemes across the country with effect from 1 July 2016. Furthermore, additional flexibility above the existing HAP rent limits was made available to all HAP local authorities from the same date. Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 20% above the prescribed maximum rent limit in circumstances where it is necessary, because of local rental market conditions, to secure appropriate accommodation for a household that requires it. It is a matter for the local authority to determine if the application of the flexibility is warranted on a case by case basis.

The Homeless Pilot of the HAP scheme has been operational since February 2015 across the four housing authorities in the Dublin Region, i.e. Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Fingal County Council and South Dublin County Council, and is being implemented through the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE). The focus of this pilot scheme is to transition qualified households from emergency accommodation, including hotels, into private rented tenancies. Additional discretion of up to 50% above rent limits is available to the Dublin local authorities to assist in housing homeless households in the Dublin.

While eligible homeless households may source accommodation for themselves, a dedicated placement team, the Dublin Place-Finder Service, has also been established to engage directly with property-owners and support qualified households to find suitable tenancies and to ensure that any additional supports that may be needed are put in place. This is a particularly important service for households currently residing in emergency accommodation in the Dublin region. A similar Place Finder service, known as the Cork City Homeless Place-finder Service, is now available to homeless households in the Cork City Council area.

At the end of Q1 2017, 14.4% of the total number of households being supported by HAP were benefiting from the additional flexibility that was provided to local authorities to exceed the maximum rent limits. Excluding homeless households, 9.6% of all households being supported were benefiting from the additional flexibility and in those cases the average rate of discretionary payment being used was 14.3% above rent limits provided. My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. I am satisfied with how the HAP scheme is operating and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme under Rebuilding Ireland.

Rent Supplement is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection.