€558m per year being spent by State on HAP scheme

The head of the Department of Housing appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where he faced questioning on the country's reliance on short-term housing solutions. 

A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting heard that spending on HAP is currently €558m per year, with a total outlay for such housing supports at least €1bn

The head of the Department of Housing has faced a grilling over the country's spend on short-term rental supports instead of investing more money in the construction of new homes.

However, Graham Doyle, the secretary-general of the department, defended schemes such as HAP and RAS as having provided housing for thousands of people, while also conceding that more needs to be spent on new builds.