Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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54. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason local authorities in Cork have discontinued the tenant in situ scheme; the efforts he has made to reopen the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24540/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The clear focus of Government is to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes. This is key to addressing the housing challenge and in particular, to preventing and ultimately eliminating long term homelessness, which unquestionably must be the priority for all local authorities including Cork City and County Councils.

My Department is continuing to providing substantial financial support to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties for priority categories of need, including tenants-in-situ who have been in receipt of supports under HAP or RAS and who had received a Notice of Termination. The other priority categories for second-hand acquisitions are properties that allow persons/families to exit homelessness; one-bedroom properties to deliver on Housing First targets; and specific housing required for the elderly or people with a disability.

Over the last three years, my Department has provided funding for second hand acquisitions for these priority categories, demonstrating a clear commitment to respond to shorter-term pressures that can arise. This year we are providing €325 million to local authorities for second-hand acquisitions which has been apportioned across all 31 local authorities. Cork City Council and Cork County Council have been given a capital funding allocation of €20 million and €15 million respectively for their acquisitions activity this year; this gives them the flexibility to respond to acute situations, while we continue to support their construction programmes. My Department continues to work with local authorities to ensure that any challenges which have emerged can be addressed in order to ensure that tenant in situ acquisitions remain an option during 2025 where no other solutions exist.

As was the case in previous years, local authorities are best placed to determine the most appropriate way to prioritise which acquisitions to pursue within the priority categories for second hand acquisitions, based on needs within their area, including tenant in situ, at the same time supporting anyone who is in threat of homelessness via their Tenancy Sustainment and Placefinder services.