Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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49. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which the attention of her Department has been drawn to dependency on rent support for persons on lower incomes from employment or social welfare with particular reference to the need to ensure that the issues of homelessness are not exacerbated by reference to use of legislation or guidelines more applicable to a time when housing was not an issue; if she will address cases in which a reduction or cessation of rent support which may have resulted in homelessness in the course of the past year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26567/18]

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 approximately 30,000 recipients for which the Government has provided €180 million for in 2018. The primary responsibility for provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with local authorities. DEASP’s role with regard to people who are homeless is mainly income maintenance. In recognition of the on-going rental market difficulties, my Department continues to implement a targeted case-by-case policy approach in the administration of rent supplement in particular when dealing with applicants who are at risk of losing their tenancy due to their landlord seeking rent in excess of the prevailing rent limit. Over the last twelve months, approximately 1,000 persons have been supported under this approach with an average uplift in excess of the prevailing rent limits of approximately €200 per month.

As the Deputy will be aware the strategic policy direction of the Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support, with the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, available nationwide from 1 March 2017. There are currently over 37,000 HAP tenancies in place of which c 9,780 (c.26%) are transfers from rent supplement. New applicants who have been assessed as having a social housing need are being supported by Local Authorities through HAP rather than rent supplement.

Department officials at local level are actively engaged with relevant local authorities, Homeless Action Teams, Regional teams and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the necessary supports are provided and cases where a threat of losing a tenancy or potential homelessness are prioritised accordingly.