Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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72. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the individual, annual and weekly HAP targets set by his Department for Galway city and county councils for 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24006/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme commenced in Galway County Council on 16 November 2015, and in Galway City Council on 1 February 2016. At the end of Q1 2019, the total numbers of active HAP tenancies in those areas were 1,052 in Galway County and 1,465 in Galway City.

Rebuilding Ireland sets annual national targets for additional HAP-supported tenancies. A target was set to support an additional 16,760 households through HAP in 2019 and, at end Q1 2019, an additional 4,399 HAP tenancies had been set up.

Individual weekly targets have been set for all local authorities in order to ensure delivery of the annual HAP targets, set nationally under Rebuilding Ireland, and to allow for the appropriate and orderly financial planning of the exchequer allocation to the scheme. The following table sets out the annual and weekly HAP targets for Galway City and County Councils for 2019.

My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review. In general, I am satisfied with the operation of the HAP and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme outlined under Rebuilding Ireland.