Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2026
197. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has received business cases in respect of funding remedial works (details supplied); if he or his officials have considered reports received to date in respect of the properties impacted; if he is releasing funding to the local authority to carry out the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10542/26]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock is a matter for each 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.
While the management and maintenance of local authority owned social homes, and the funding of such works, is the statutory responsibility of local authorities, my Department will provide some €260 million as a contribution towards the remediation and maintenance of local authority homes this year through a number of programmes, including for estate regeneration, energy retrofitting, disabled person grants for social housing tenants, and refurbishment works to vacant properties so they can be returned to productive use as quickly as possible.
A submission has been received from Wicklow County Council regarding a plan to remediate Hillview Estate in Wicklow Town. Work is currently ongoing with Wicklow Council to explore the range and the cost of feasible options for remediating the estate. Indeed, my Department has very recently met with the Council in this regard and visited the estate. A decision on the appropriate course of action will be taken when this work is completed, having regard to funding available to the local authority from its own resources and my Department's maintenance programmes.
