Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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310. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the total number of new houses and apartments which are managed by local authorities or voluntary housing agencies, and which have become available and are occupied for each of the years ending 31 December 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44727/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Awaiting reply from Department.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under Housing for All, my Department was tasked with undertaking an analytical exercise to examine whether an increase in the level of discretion available to local authorities under HAP was required. The Housing Agency undertook to carry out this analytical exercise on behalf of the Department to better understand what level of discretion should be made available to local authorities under HAP to maintain adequate levels of support.

Since 11 July 2022, following this review, each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit and for new tenancies to extend the couple’s rate to single persons households. Discretion can be increased up to 50% above the prescribed maximum rent limits for Homeless HAP tenancies in Dublin.

It should be noted that it is a matter for the local authority to determine whether the application of the flexibility is warranted on a case by case basis and also the level of additional discretion applied in each case.

A separate review of the discretion available to Homeless HAP tenancies in Dublin, which is up to 50% above the prescribed maximum rent limits, is currently being undertaken by my Department, in conjunction with The Housing Agency.

The administration of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority and HAP application processing times within local authorities may vary. Once a HAP application has been received and confirmed as valid by the relevant local authority, it is entered on the system by the local authority and then submitted for processing and payment by the HAP Shared Service Centre (HAP SSC). If there are delays at the processing stage within a local authority, payment to the landlord will be backdated to the date on which a complete and valid application form was received by the local authority. The landlord is therefore not penalised for any delay.

The HAP application form comes in two parts, Section A to be completed by the applicant tenant and Section B to be completed by the landlord or agent. An application for HAP will only be accepted by the local authority when both Section A and Section B are completed, signed and returned, along with the required supporting documentation. Any delay in tenants and landlords supplying this information will impact on the processing time of the HAP application.

Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. The HAP SSC manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. Once a HAP application has been received and confirmed as valid by the relevant local authority, it is then processed by the HAP SSC. Any rental payment arising for a given month will then be made to a landlord on the last Wednesday of that month.

My Department and the local authorities are aware of the importance of minimising HAP processing times and the critical need to keep this under review at a local level. My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review.