Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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144. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will immediately raise the HAP and homeless HAP limits, considering the ever increasing numbers entering homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7013/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q3 2023, there were nearly 57,617 households actively in receipt of HAP support. 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.

Since 11 July 2022, 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. 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.

Local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that tenancies are sustainable and are advised not to provide HAP support to tenancies where the household would not be in a position to meet the rental costs being sought.

My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review and closely monitors the level of discretion being used by local authorities, taking into account other sources of data, including Residential Tenancies Board rent data published on a quarterly basis.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 288 of 1 February 2024 which sets out the position in the matter.