Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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1282. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he can provide details of the manner in which once-off payments and once off commissions or bonuses are treated in the estimation of a persons entitlement to HAP; if he is aware that people who have spent years on the housing list are being removed due to a once-off payment which puts them over the limit, even though their salary is well below the threshold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20055/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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In order for a household to qualify for HAP, they must first be assessed as eligible for social housing support by their local authority. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP.

Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.

The regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy.

The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and local authorities have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once-off in nature. All income from employment including overtime, bonuses and commission are assessed as income under the Policy. However, overtime and bonuses are generally restricted to maximum of 10% of basic income (regular overtime may be taken into account) and commission is restricted to a maximum of 30% of basic income.

Decisions on the qualification of households for social housing support, the most appropriate form of such support, and the allocation of that support are a matter solely for the local authority concerned.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1283. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of HAP payments allocated through the inter-authority movement of housing assistance payment scheme in each of the years from 2021 to date, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20087/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Guidelines on inter-authority movement were issued to local authorities to facilitate the movement of Housing Assistance Payment (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.

HAP tenants that avail of inter-authority movement continue to be dealt with by their originating local authority. However, the rent limits applicable are those that apply in the local authority where the property is situated. The originating local authority will engage with the relevant new local authority to facilitate eligible requests for inter-authority movement.

The table below shows the number of inter authority HAP tenancies set up in years 2021-2024, detailing the number of tenancies where the tenant accessed rented accommodation outside of their originating local authority (the originating local authority is listed.)

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1284. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of households added to the transfer list, by local authority in 2022, 2023, 2024 compared to the number of HAP tenancies created in the same years and local authorities, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20088/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Consistent with the provisions in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is considered to be a social housing support and consequently households in receipt of a payment under the HAP scheme are not eligible to remain on the main housing waiting list. However, acknowledging that some households on the waiting list, who avail of HAP, may have a preference for other forms of social housing, Ministerial directions have issued to ensure that, should they so choose, HAP recipients can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support through a transfer list.

Furthermore, local authorities are also directed that HAP recipients who apply to go on the transfer list should get full credit for the time they spent on the waiting list and be placed on the transfer list with no less favourable terms than if they had remained on the waiting list.

The practical operation of transfer lists is a matter for each local authority to manage, on the basis of its own scheme of letting priorities. The making of such schemes is a reserved function of the local authority and as such is a matter for the elected members.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1285. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of HAP tenancies that have ended after the first two year period, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20089/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. Under HAP, a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rented market. The tenancy agreement is between the tenant and the landlord and is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended. HAP supported tenancies are afforded the same protections as all private rented tenancies.

On entering the HAP scheme, tenants are required to stay in the same property for at least two years. However, they may be able to apply to their local authority for a new HAP payment for another property sooner if their circumstances change.

The day-to-day operation of the HAP scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority and my Department does not hold the information requested in relation to the number of HAP tenancies that have ended after the first two year period.