Housing Minister Simon Coveney has confirmed the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is now available in Dublin.

Eligible households in all 31 local authority areas can now avail of an immediate form of social housing support, with €153 million being made available for the scheme in 2017.

Minister Coveney said: "The rollout of HAP to Dublin is the hugely significant milestone in the development of this new social housing support. The availability of HAP means that all local authorities can provide housing support to many more households with a long-term housing need, including many long-term Rent Supplement recipients, as well as households who may not be eligible for Rent Supplement but who are struggling with the cost of rent. As well as removing a barrier to employment, by allowing recipients to remain in the scheme if they gain full-time employment, the HAP scheme improves regulation of the rented accommodation being supported and it provides certainty for landlords as regards their rental income."

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There are currently more than 18,000 households receiving HAP support; over a third of these households have transferred from the Rent Supplement scheme.

(CD)