'Urgent review' of Rent Supplement and HAP limits' needed in Longford

An 'urgent review and upward revision of Rent Supplement and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) limits' to ensure they reflect current rental market prices across County Longford, according to a Longford County Councillor

Fianna Fáil’s Uruemu Adejinmi submitted a motion at recent monthly meeting of Longford County Council and she urged them to write to the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Housing seeking an urgent review to a more appropriate rate given the soaring cost of rents.

There was significant support from other local representatives.

Cllr Adejinmi said the council recognises that rent assessments for Local Authority housing tenants have been revised in response to rising housing costs.

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However, she stated many low-income individuals and families dependent on private rental accommodation continue to face significant hardship due to housing support limits that no longer reflect market realities.

"This gap keeps increasing and the HAP is remaining stagnant and it is not keeping pace with inflation across regional Ireland and this is causing significant hardship to a lot of people, particularly tenants or applicants who have been approved for social housing.

"There is a condition within the housing department as well that before a council house is offered to a tenant on the housing list their rent has to be up to date so if they fall into arrears [they cannot be allocated a council house] -*not very audible double check -so they are stitched either way.

"This needs an urgent review.

"I know it's a national policy and that is why I'm asking for the responsible departments to have a look at that, the rent supplements and the Housing Assistance Payment."

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Cllr Seamus Butler said rents had increased rapidly in Longford in the last two to three years, in-particular.

"I think with the cost of living we have to have a review on that.

"We are at the very lowest end of the supplement and I think it's a very good motion and very timely and I support it 100%."

Cathairleach, Cllr Garry Murtagh said that correspondence would be sent to the Minister for Housing James Browne.

Independent Councillor Turlough McGovern said he also supported what he described as a 'very good' motion and he also offered his congratulations to Cllr Adejinmi, the new vice president of Fianna Fáil Ard Comhairle.

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