Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 November 2025
30. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria from his Department whereby local authorities can deny the administration of the tenant-in-situ scheme to tenants in dwellings that require extensive repairs or refurbishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65644/25]
View answer84. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he, or his Department, are aware of the process whereby local authorities can deny the administration of the tenant-in-situ scheme in the case of dwellings that require extensive refurbishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65643/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 84 together.
Tenancy sustainment, or tenant-in-situ, is a priority category under my Department's Second Hand Acquisitions Programme. It is not a scheme, but a policy tool available to local authorities to prevent social housing supported households in the private rented sector from falling into homelessness. It should only be used as a last resort by local authorities when all other options have been exhausted.
Generally, refurbishment costs are not an eligible cost for tenancy sustainment acquisitions. Extensive repairs or refurbishments should not be required. These properties already benefit from significant Exchequer funded rent supports every week, are legally required to meet the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019, and are inspected by local authorities to ensure they meet such standards.
That said, claims for refurbishment works on properties acquired in the period to end 2024 are being reimbursed to local authorities this year.
The primary focus must be on ensuring that the funding provided by my Department through the Second Hand Acquisitions Programme maximises the number of acquisitions completed, and is not used to support works that are not immediately required but are rather future proofing works.
I acknowledge some refurbishment works may be required in the short to medium-term. However, these should be noted as part of the condition survey of the property using the agreed national stock condition survey template and programmed for future planned maintenance works. My Department provides funding to local authorities through a number of programmes to support such improvement works on their social housing stock, including the Planned Maintenance programme, the Disabled Persons Grant, the Regeneration Programme and Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme.
