Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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574. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason his Department does not record disability status for households supported under the Housing Assistance Payment, and when such tracking will be introduced in line with the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66206/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support available for people who have a long-term housing need. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP.

Under the 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. Decisions in relation to HAP, including the suitability of HAP accommodation, is a matter for the local authority concerned. Information regarding households with disabilities is not collected as part of the HAP application.

Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that household in the administrative area of that local authority.

My Department jointly published the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People and Implementation Plan with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality. The Strategy and Implementation Plan may be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/60d76-national-housing-strategy-for-disabled-people-2022-2027/

The Implementation Plan sets out the actions to achieve the vision of the joint Strategy for delivering housing and related supports for disabled people to 2027. It supports the primary objective of the Strategy which is to facilitate disabled people to live independently with the appropriate choices and control over where, how and with whom they live, promoting their inclusion in the community.

My Department and the HAP Shared Service Centre does not hold data in relation to those with a disability supported under HAP, however this may be available directly from local authorities.