Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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77. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of HAP tenancies awaiting standards compliance inspections by local authority in tabular form [32232/20]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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78. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the legislative timeframe for standards compliance inspection under the HAP scheme [32233/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together.

The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019.  All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these Regulations. Responsibility for enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority. 

The Housing Assistant Payment Scheme (HAP) in underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. Under section 41 of the 2014 Act, local authorities are required to commence the inspection process within 8 months of HAP support being provided in relation to a particular dwelling, if the dwelling was not already inspected within the previous 12 months. Local authorities carry out HAP inspections as part of their overall private rented inspections programme.

The information sought in relation to the number of HAP tenancies awaiting standards compliance inspections is not held by my Department.