Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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230. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the additional gross and net annual cost to the state of every €1,000 increase to the social housing eligibility income thresholds up to €10,000 in tabular form. [60520/22]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the estimated additional annual expenditure that would be required from the Exchequer on the housing assistance payment by increases to the income eligibility thresholds for social housing in €1,000 increments from €1,000 to €10,000 respectively; and the number of additional households that it is estimated would become eligible for HAP as a consequence of the same increases in tabular form. [60521/22]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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232. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the average HAP payment per recipient funded by the Exchequer; and the average cost to the State per recipient net of differential rents. [60522/22]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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233. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the gross and net average cost to the State per HAP recipient. [60523/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 233 together.

Data in relation to funding provided by the State for Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) tenancies in 2019?2021, broken down by local authority area, can be found on my Department’s website at this link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#housing-assistance-payment.

This funding represents the portion paid by my Department after receipt of the differential rent which is paid by the tenant to the local authority. It does not include administration costs related to the Scheme.

The monthly gross average cost per HAP tenancy at end Q2 2022 is €932.81.

The monthly average cost per HAP tenancy funded by the Exchequer i.e. net of average differential rent, is €728.61.

Maximum rent limits for the HAP scheme are set out for each housing authority area by the Housing Assistance Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2017. The limits applicable are related to the specific household and the rental market in the area and so vary significantly across each local authority.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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234. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the average differential rent paid in the State. [60524/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.  The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay.

Decisions regarding how the rent charged is calculated and any increase or decrease in the amount of rent charged and the type of household income that is reckonable or disregarded for rent purposes is a matter for individual local authorities in line with their respective rent schemes. My Department has no role in the making of these rent schemes and does not collect data on the average differential rent paid locally or nationally.