Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Under Housing for All, we made provision for the purchase of 200 social housing acquisitions and to permit that each year. In 2023, with the Deputy's support, the Government agreed that we would increase the provision and the allocation of funds for 1,500 social housing acquisitions. This has continued into 2024 and my Department will fund local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social homes this year. Last year, we did more than 1,800, as the Deputy knows, and revised the target. The additional acquisitions are focused on properties where a tenant in receipt of social housing supports has received a notice of termination due to the landlord’s intent to sell the property. Each local authority has been provided with a provisional allocation for social housing acquisitions this year, with additional headroom of 50% on the allocation being made available under delegated sanction. Acquisitions above that are subject to sanction, and my Department issued a circular to local authorities in March this year.

In 2023, Cork City Council acquired 109 homes, exceeding its target of 80. Progress continues into 2024. To date, Cork City Council has completed 105 acquisitions. Cork County Council also performed strongly last year. In 2023, 74 homes were acquired, exceeding its original target of 60. In 2024, as of the end of September, Cork County Council had already completed 81 acquisitions.

We are encouraging local authorities to continue with the purchase of homes with tenants in situ. It is an excellent preventative measure but it also ends insecure HAP tenancies in the main, which are very expensive for the State, purchases a home and asset for the State, and converts it to a safe and secure social home. Those are the most up-to-date figures I have.

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