Fianna Fáil's Frank O'Rourke has called for a review of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) to address homeless people's difficulty affording rental homes.

The Kildare North TD asked the Housing Minister to ensure "substantial" rental deposits do not prevent homeless people from finding accommodation.

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy O'Rourke, pointed out how most landlords require people on the Housing Assistance Payment to pay up to one months rent and deposit prior to taking out a lease.

Deputy O'Rourke said: "The requirement for homeless people to make a substantial upfront payment for a deposit is prohibitive and goes against the purpose of the HAP Scheme. Homeless people do not have access to the finance needed to pay these deposits, which often can amount to €1,000 or more. The end result is that many homeless people are forced to remain without adequate accommodation.

-- Advertisement --

"I raised this issue in the Dáil with the Housing Minister and highlighted the need for additional measures to be put in place to ensure this barrier to accessing accommodation is removed. Homeless people need assistance by the Government and Local Authorities to ensure that they can access adequate accommodation.

He added: "Minister Murphy confirmed to me that a new Place Finder unit will be established by Kildare County Council to assist homeless people in meeting these rental deposit requirements. I have been assured that this service will become operational from next Monday, 25 June. The council needs to ensure that homeless people are aware that this assistance is available when looking for accommodation under the HAP Scheme."

(CM)