Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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762. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if rent increases for existing HAP tenants are allowed to exceed the HAP limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26688/19]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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763. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of persons at the maximum rate of the HAP limits in each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26689/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 762 and 763 together.

Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, tenants source their own accommodation. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned.

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.

Information in relation to number of HAP recipients benefitting from discretionary increases and the average level of discretion, as well as average landlord payment by local authority, at the end of Quarter 1 2019, is set out in the following table:

Additional discretion of up to 50% above rent limits is available to assist in housing homeless households in the Dublin Region. The additional discretion available to homeless households recognises the difficulty this cohort of households face in sourcing and securing properties in a highly competitive rental market.

The table below provides details on the use of discretion in the Dublin local authority areas, including the Dublin Region Homeless Executive:

At the end of Q1 2019, 35.7% of the total number of households being supported by HAP were benefitting from the additional flexibility. When the additional discretion available to homeless households in the Dublin region is removed, 28.9% of households nationally were benefitting from the additional flexibility. In those cases, the average rate of discretionary payment being used was 16.3% above rent limits provided. This increases to 22.2% when the Dublin region homeless area data is included.

I continue to keep the operation of HAP under review but I am currently satisfied with how the scheme is operating and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting current housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme set out in Rebuilding Ireland.