Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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368. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to his Department’s announcement regarding available funding for the tenant-in-situ scheme, if an applicant (details supplied) has had their application refused despite meeting all the criteria of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26745/25]

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 preventing and ultimately eliminating long term homelessness, and that unquestionably must be the priority for all local authorities including Fingal County Council.

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 people with a disability or the elderly.

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. Fingal County Council has been given a capital funding allocation of €20 million for their acquisitions activity this year and this gives them the flexibility to respond to these acute situations, while we continue to support their construction programmes. At the end of April Fingal County Council had only drawn down €1.74m or 9% of their €20m allocation.

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.

My Department continues to engage with local authorities on any challenges which emerge in order to ensure that tenant in situ acquisitions can continue in 2025 where no other solutions exist for the affected households.