Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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252. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to review policy to allow flexibility for persons marginally over the income limits on eligibility to HAP to avail of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48471/17]

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 available to all eligible households throughout the State. Under the HAP scheme, eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rented sector, which best suits their needs in their area of choice.  To be eligible for HAP, a household must have been assessed for social housing support by their relevant local authority and have been placed on that local authorities record of qualified households. Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the range of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that household.

The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy.

The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. The limits also reflect a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn and thereby promote sustainable communities.

Given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is considered prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of social housing support.  The current income eligibility requirements generally achieve this, providing for a fair and equitable system of identifying those households facing the greatest challenge in meeting their accommodation needs from their own resources. 

As part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of the income eligibility limits for social housing supports has commenced. I would expect the results of this review to be available for publication in 2018.