John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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496. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to review HAP limits for each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57324/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme continues to plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q1 2025, almost 127,000 HAP tenancies had been set up since the scheme commenced, of which there were 52,657 households actively in receipt of HAP support.

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. 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. 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.

My Department has reviewed the use of these measures and their impact on the overall affordability of the HAP scheme for tenants. This review has highlighted that the affordability and sustainability of HAP tenancies continues to be impacted by pressures in the private rental market. As such, I have recently approved the commencement of a review of HAP rent limits. My Department is now in the process of setting the parameters of this review. It is intended that the review will consider the existing rent limits with a view to providing sufficient support to assist eligible households to access and maintain tenancies.