Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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607. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if local authorities are permitted to block intercounty housing assistance payment applications as in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14000/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. 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.

Guidelines on inter authority movement were issued to local authorities to facilitate the movement of HAP households from one local authority area to another in cases where a HAP tenant wishes to access rented accommodation, with HAP support, in another local authority area. Inter authority movement is, however, subject to certain conditions, such as the relevant Social Housing Income Eligibility Bands and confirmation that the applicant's income is below the threshold in the new local authority.

Given that such flexibility facilitates better utilisation of all private rental stock for social housing purposes and supports the maximum activation potential of HAP households by removing geographical barriers to employment, all local authorities have been requested to give appropriate consideration to these requests. It is the responsibility of the local authority to make a decision in each individual case.