Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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291. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to ensure that rent allowance is not ceased in respect of long-term recipients of the payment until such time as the landlord signs up to the housing assistance payment scheme and it is approved by the local authority; her further plans to ensure that long-term recipients of the rent allowance payment continue to receive their payment in cases in which the landlord is unwilling to sign up to the housing assistance payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30438/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting some 42,300 recipients for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017.

The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority as outlined in the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness - Rebuilding Ireland. Under HAP, responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to those with a long-term housing need transfers from my Department to the local authorities, under the auspices of the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. Rent supplement will continue to be paid to households who are already in the private rented sector but who, generally because of a loss of income through unemployment, require a short term income support to pay their rent.

Persons who are in receipt of rent supplement for over 18 months are being requested to contact their local authority to have their housing needs assessed thus beginning the transfer to HAP. Failure of a landlord to participate in HAP does not affect a recipient’s continued entitlement to rent supplement. I can assure the Deputy that every effort is made to ensure that persons in receipt of rent supplement are supported with a seamless transfer to HAP and entitlement to rent supplement remains in place until HAP is commenced.

I trust this clarifies the matter.