Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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958.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of people accessing HAP and rental assistance payment in Wicklow county from 2014 to 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[34493/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Housing Assistance Payment scheme and the Rental Accommodation scheme, administered by the local authorities, are now by far the largest schemes providing rental supports. Responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to those with a long-term housing need rests with Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

In terms of my own department, Rent Supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting 7,605 active recipients at the end of July 2024.

The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment or income, can continue to meet their rental commitments.

Rent Supplement recipients in county Wicklow at end of December from 2014 to 2023 is provided in Table 1

Table 1

Rent Supplement recipients in county Wicklow at month end for 2024 is provided in Table 2.

Table 2

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.