Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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682. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of tenancies supported by HAP nationally and by local authority. [23335/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on social housing delivery activity in all local authority areas on the statistics page of its website. Data in relation to HAP funding and tenancies to end of Q4 2024 can be found on my Department’s website at this link:

www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#housing-assistance-payment.

The table below provides a breakdown of the total number of active HAP tenancies by local authority at end Q4 2024.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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683. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the proportion of HAP-supported tenancies that require top-up payments beyond the qualifying rent threshold, and the number that are in breach of rent caps. [23336/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned.

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 person households. Up to 50% discretion can be provided in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. It is a matter for the local authority to determine whether, and to what extent, the application of the flexibility is warranted.

From available data, at the end of 2024, 36,975 households (69%) of the total number of households being supported by HAP were benefiting from the additional flexibility, at an average rate of discretion of 29% above the relevant limit. When the additional discretion available to homeless households in the Dublin Region is removed, 27,848 (66%) of households nationally were benefitting from the additional flexibility. In those cases, the average rate of discretionary payment being used was 24% above the relevant limit.

My Department is aware that some HAP recipients are making payments directly to their landlords beyond the amount of HAP being paid on their behalf; however, this data is not gathered by my Department. There is no legislative provision precluding HAP-supported households contributing towards the monthly rent to their landlord beyond that of their HAP payment. However, decisions in relation to HAP, including the suitability of HAP accommodation, is solely a matter for the local authority concerned and 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.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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684. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide a list of counties where no HAP-eligible property was available during the last 6 months of reporting. [23337/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rented market. HAP rent limits are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned.

An average of 156 new HAP tenancies were set up each week in 2024 across all local authorities, indicating that the scheme continues to support large numbers of households to secure a home in the private rental market.

My Department does not hold the information requested in relation to availability of HAP-eligible properties.