Higher rent support for those on assistance scheme in Cork

City officials have been given discretion to make higher rent support payments to people in private rented accommodation who are availing of a government scheme introduced in Cork City during the summer.

The city’s head of housing, Valerie O’Sullivan, confirmed last night that following the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme in Cork in June, her department undertook an extensive data gathering exercise to demonstrate the challenges which were posed by the scheme’s payment cap levels.

And following talks with the Department of the Environment, Ms O’Sullivan, said it has now sanctioned legislative changes to the scheme.