The number of homes rented through HAP increased by 4.5%.
These Central Statistics Office figures compared the number of active Housing Assistance Payment homes on December 31st 2021, with the same date the previous year in 2020.
In 38 out of the 166 local electoral areas (LEAs) nationally there are more than 500 HAP units in each, while just in 14 LEAs with less than 100 active properties.
The stark figures show that Drogheda Urban (Louth) and Tallaght Central (Dublin) had 7.9% of their total housing stock registered as HAP properties - meaning one in just over 12 homes were registered for Housing Assistance Payment.
🏡 4.5% increase in the number of homes rented through HAP.
💶 More than 500 HAP units in a fifth of LEAs.
Outside of cities, the areas with the most are around Dundalk, Navan, Arklow and Tralee.
(Source: CSO comparing 31/12/21 with 31/12/20)
— Ben Finnegan (@_BenFinnegan) May 4, 2022
While, in Arklow (Wicklow), Palmerstown-Fonthill (Dublin), Dundalk-Carlingford (Louth) and Kilrush (Clare) for every registered rental property with the Residential Tenancies Board 45% of them are also registered for the Housing Assistance Payment.
According to hap.ie the payment is defined as "a form of social housing support provided by all local authorities.
"Under HAP, local authorities can provide housing assistance to households with a long-term housing need, including many long-term Rent Supplement recipients."
Figures show the State spent more than €500m on the Housing Assistance Payment in 2021.
Last week, the Residential Tenancies Board released a study into the cost of rent for new tenancies. It found that the cost of new rents increased by 9%, with Roscommon seeing a 25% increase.
It led to calls for more regulation on the rental market.
