Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
176. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Voids Return Programme will open for 2026; the total funding to be made available; and whether the €11,000 average cap will remain in place [3474/26]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under s.58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities must also ensure all tenanted properties comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. To this end, they must make adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Notwithstanding these obligations, my Department will provide some €260 million as a contribution towards the remediation and maintenance of local authority homes through various funding programmes in 2026. This includes €40 million under the Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme to specifically support this work in 2026, with the programme requirements and allocations issuing to local authorities in due course. That said, I expect the maximum average of €11,000 per property will remain in place.
