Paul Murphy: Calls to End Two-Tier Homeless HAP System
Paul Murphy raised concerns about a two-tier homeless HAP payment system that prevents some tenants from accessing a higher rate introduced after July 2022. He argued that people are being forced back into homelessness to qualify for the higher €1,215 payment and called for a ministerial solution.
The speaker described a two-tier system in homeless HAP whereby those who entered after July 2022 can access a higher rate. He said this has created an unjust situation that risks pushing people back into homelessness in order to qualify for better support.
Paul Murphy gave a concrete constituency case of a young woman who works on a farm, lost her car and endures over an hour of public transport daily. She currently receives €990 per month under homeless HAP but could pay her rent with the €1,215 rate available to those who access homeless HAP today — a rate she cannot reach without re-entering homelessness.
The speaker said he has pursued the case with the DRHE, with the minister and through parliamentary questions (PQs). He said he is not aware of the exact issue that prevents access to the higher rate and warned against designing policies that create perverse incentives to remain homeless.
Paul Murphy suggested that a ministerial order could resolve the disparity so people like the woman described can access the higher payment without becoming homeless again. He said he will follow up on the matter with the Madam Minister for Housing.
Two-tier HAP system
The speaker described a two-tier system in homeless HAP whereby those who entered after July 2022 can access a higher rate. He said this has created an unjust situation that risks pushing people back into homelessness in order to qualify for better support.
Constituency example
Paul Murphy gave a concrete constituency case of a young woman who works on a farm, lost her car and endures over an hour of public transport daily. She currently receives €990 per month under homeless HAP but could pay her rent with the €1,215 rate available to those who access homeless HAP today — a rate she cannot reach without re-entering homelessness.
Engagement with authorities
The speaker said he has pursued the case with the DRHE, with the minister and through parliamentary questions (PQs). He said he is not aware of the exact issue that prevents access to the higher rate and warned against designing policies that create perverse incentives to remain homeless.
Proposed remedy and next steps
Paul Murphy suggested that a ministerial order could resolve the disparity so people like the woman described can access the higher payment without becoming homeless again. He said he will follow up on the matter with the Madam Minister for Housing.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Other speeches
Tego samego dnia All speeches from this day →
Mattie McGrath
Mattie McGrath presses minister over delayed Acres payments
Mattie McGrath
Mattie McGrath: Rejects EU 'Safe Countries' List, Blasts Asylum Failures
Gerard P. Craughwell
Gerard P. Craughwell: Calls Triple Lock a 'Red Herring' on Defence
George Lawlor
George Lawlor presses minister on tillage crisis and payments
Matt Carthy
Matt Carthy demands clarity on looming student fee rise
Mattie McGrath
Mattie McGrath warns of runaway solar farms, urges balance
Transcript
As you know, there is a two-tier system in place in terms of homeless HAP, whereby those who entered homeless HAP after July 2022 were able to access a higher rate than those before. It has resulted in an unjust situation where people are faced with the prospect of renewed homelessness in order to be able to access the higher rate. I will give you an example from my constituency. It is a young woman who works very hard every day, she has lost her car because she has not been able to sell it, gets public transport over an hour a day, go work on a farm every single day, and she cannot afford to pay her rent any more. So she is currently on a rate of €990 per month, homeless HAP. If she was to access homeless HAP today, she would be entitled to €1,215 and she could pay her rent. But she is not able to access that. I have pursued this with the DRHE, with the Minister, through PQs. The only way for her to access the higher rate is to become homeless again, which clearly makes no sense. Do you agree that we need a change in terms of this? I think a ministerial order could do it, so people like this woman and many others in her situation could access the higher rate without having to enter homelessness again? The very reason the higher rate of the HAP payment was made available in the first place is the recognition that the Minister has and the Government has regarding the need for that payment to do more and to help more and to make a difference in preventing homelessness. I am not aware of what the exact issue is that could prevent somebody from accessing that higher rate. Of course, the last thing we want to do in designing something like this is create incentives that make it more difficult for somebody to move out of the terrible difficulties of being homeless. The best thing for me to do, which I will do, is follow up on that, Madam Minister for Housing.