HAP is worsening housing crisis, claims expert

STATE cash support for private rentals is driving up monthly payments and worsening the housing crisis, a leading expert has claimed as figures obtained by the Sunday Independent show local authorities are routinely breaking spending caps to house families.

Tom Dunne, former chair- man of the Residential Tenancies Board, rounded on Housing Ministers Eoghan Murphy and Damien English, saying there is no evidence that their Rebuilding Ireland housing plan will work.

Figures compiled by the Sunday Independent show Dublin City Council has been forced to exceed spending caps in 94pc of cases under the HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) scheme and other local authorities are also paying above the scheme’s limits.

HAP is a social support provided by local authorities. HAP recipients must find their own accommodation in the private rental market and their local authority will make a monthly payment to the landlord within specific caps. However, local authorities regularly pay above these caps to ensure families are housed.

Dublin City Council pays above the cap in a vast majority of cases, while Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown breaks the cap in 74pc of cases. Fingal pays above the cap for 59pc of households. Galway City Council pays extra discretionary payments above cap limits in 59pc of cases. Most of these (89pc) are in rent pressure zone areas. In Cork City, topups are paid in 40pc of cases.

Mr Dunne, now Head of the School of Surveying and Construction at DIT, said this means those who want to rent in the private market but are not eligible for state supports, are being crowded out.

He questioned if Housing Ministers Eoghan Murphy and Damien English understand the distorting impact they have on the market.