Charities welcome government moves on Hap but say 'broken housing system' needs reform
Minister Darragh O’Brien (left) and Meryame Kitir, Belgium's Minister for Development and Urban Policy at the European Platform on Combatting Homelessness conference in Dublin today. Mr O'Brien said: "Housing For All sets us on a pathway to delivering 90,000 social homes between now and the end of 2030." Picture: Maxwells
Housing charities have welcomed an announcement by the Minister for Housing of plans to allow higher Housing Assistance Payment rates, possibly by as early as next month, and that single people will be able to secure the higher Hap rate that currently applies to couples.
Minister Darragh O'Brien made the announcement at the international FEANTSA Conference in Croke Park, telling RTÉ afterwards that he hoped the changes would apply from next month. However, the exact detail has yet to be finalised, and it also appears that the proposed changes will not apply to the homeless Hap.
