An increase in the Housing Assistance Payment has been announced by Minister Darragh O'Brien with tens of thousands of people set to benefit.
The Housing Minister said local authorities will be able to pay up to 35% more than the current rates.
Additionally, he said the couple's HAP rate will be expanded to include single people.
Read more: Protest on cost of living is ‘the first step to force Government action’
The new rules will apply to new HAP tenancies starting next month.
Speaking at the FEANSTA conference on Friday morning, Mr O'Brien said the new plans will secure and bring more tenancies and will prevent people from becoming homeless, RTE reports.
There are over 60,000 people in Ireland who are receiving HAP.
Figures this week from the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive show the homeless situation in Dublin is deteriorating.
At the end of April 2022, there were 956 families in emergency accommodation, an increase of 55 compared to March 2022 and an increase of 257 compared to the same period in 2021.
Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Mid-West, Eoin Ó Broin said earlier this week:
“We are once again at record levels of homelessness. This is entirely an effect of the government’s actions. The private rental sector is shrinking every month, and the government refuses to take appropriate action to mitigate this and hence stop the mass evictions that we are seeing here”
“Sinn Féin, and a number of NGOs have called on the government to allow councils to buy rental properties where HAP or RAS tenants have an eviction notice, to prevent the family becoming homeless.”
“The government must also take action to progress the Simon Communities (Homeless Prevention) Bill, which was passed by the Dáil late last year.”
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