The availability of properties under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme has declined since December 2024, according to the Simon Communities of Ireland, reports RTE.
In its latest ‘Locked Out of the Market’ quarterly report, the organisation revealed that only 41 properties were available for rent within the discretionary HAP rate across 16 surveyed locations over three dates last month.
This figure represents an 11% drop—or five fewer properties—compared to December 2024, the report stated.
The locations included in the study were Co Leitrim, Athlone, Cork city centre, Cork city suburbs, Galway city centre, Limerick city suburbs, Limerick city centre, Sligo town, Portlaoise, and Waterford city centre, reports RTE.
According to the findings, ten of the 16 areas had no available properties within the HAP limits, with the majority of suitable properties remaining “predominantly” located in Dublin.
Out of the 41 HAP-compatible homes found, 31 were in Dublin, where discretionary limits allow rents up to 50% above the standard rate—compared to a 35% allowance in other regions, reports RTE.
Additionally, the report noted a 9% decline in the overall rental market supply during the first quarter of 2025, with only 1,119 rental listings available at any price point.
Among the areas reviewed, Sligo town and Portlaoise had the fewest rental options, with just five and two listings, respectively, reports RTE.
Twelve of the 16 locations recorded a fall in rental availability, while only two showed an increase.
The Simon Communities of Ireland’s Executive Director warned that the report’s data “continue to highlight the deepening crisis” in private rentals, especially for low-income individuals who depend on HAP.
“With most of the properties concentrated in Dublin, the vast majority of the country remains effectively locked out of the rental market,” Ber Grogan added, reports RTE.
Ms Grogan pointed out that ten of the 16 areas examined had no HAP-eligible homes, saying, “that is not a housing system that’s working for those most in need”.
She emphasized that outside Dublin, HAP tenants “face an uphill struggle with little to no access to suitable or affordable homes, with discretionary limits proving insufficient to meet current rental prices”, r r
She urged the Government “to extend” rent pressure zone legislation “for at least one year to give people some certainty while alternatives are being discussed”.
“We urgently need an increased supply of affordable and secure housing,” she said, adding “targeted action is required now”.
In response, the Department of Housing issued a statement noting: “It should be noted that the Simon report tracks properties advertised on Daft.ie, reports RTE.
“Research carried out in 2022 from the RTB [Residential Tenancies Board] and Amarach indicates that 45% of medium-sized landlords used other methods of advertising their property for rent.
“It is important to note that there are multiple different online platforms which may be used to advertise rental properties,” said the Department, r r
“Each local authority now has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit to secure appropriate accommodation for a household that requires it, or up to 50% in the case of homeless households in the Dublin [area].
“At the end 2024, some 69% of the total number of households being supported by HAP were benefiting from the additional flexibility, at an average rate of discretion of 29.2% above the relevant limit, reports RTE.
“At the end of 2024, approxiamately 54,000 households were actively in receipt of HAP support. An average of 156 tenancies were set up each week” up to the end of 2024,” reports RTE.
“Over 499 new HAP tenancies were set up in March 2025, the period covered by the Simon report,” added the Department, reports RTE.
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