State spend on HAP not value for money or long term solution to social housing crisis, damning PAC report finds

"The committee highlighted issues around the oversight of, and spending on HAP, a lack of value for money from long term leasing and a shortfall in new social housing delivery."

"Chair of the committee Sinn Féin's Brian Stanley said in 2021 the committee reported that spending on short term housing supports like HAP... did not provide value for money because the state did not acquire an asset at the end of the lease."

"However, expenditure on HAP only fell by less than €3 million from 2021 to 2022, with the overall expenditure on HAP amounting to €539 million in 2022... HAP expenditure was €537.4 million in 2023..."

"The Department still includes HAP and RAS tenancies in social housing delivery and the Committee does not consider HAP and RAS tenancies to be effective solutions... in terms of value for money."

Read at Irish Independent