County councillors call for rise in Westmeath HAP rates

The current HAP rate is making it impossible for people to secure affordable accommodation.

Those are the concerns of elected members in Westmeath County Council, who passed a motion to call on the Minister for Housing to immediately increase the HAP rate.

“The current HAP rates have become so small now that it’s precluding so many people that are availing of housing support,” said Cllr Ken Glynn (FF), who put the motion forward at the December meeting of Westmeath County Council.

“These current levels are totally and utterly out of date and out of touch with what's happening in the real world. People are going on the housing list in the hope of getting housing supports and they're then discovering they have no chance of getting a private rental due to these low rates.

“We need to impress on all political leaders that this has to be a priority. Unless this changes the crisis is only going to get worse.”

The motion was supported by Cllr Vinny McCormack (FF), who said that the HAP system as it currently stands is “a broken system” and is “not sufficient”.

“HAP as it stands is completely unworkable given where we are with the rental market at the moment,” he said.

“I had one particular case recently where a single mother with a young child was approved for HAP. She was approved for a limit of €1,050. She went out and found a two-bed property priced at €1,200 and she was told that, no, that wouldn't meet her means, so she couldn't be considered for HAP on that property.

“She then went out and found a one-bed property which was priced at €950, but she couldn't be considered for that either; because of her family makeup, she needed a two-bed property. So we're still accommodating that lady in emergency accommodation and paying the weekly cost of that.

It was agreed that a letter should be drafted to the Minister for Housing in the new year, once the new government is in place.