Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
211. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the level of funding allocated to Cork County Council for housing maintenance; and if the Minister will outline any additional allocations planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4140/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities are also legally obliged to ensure all of their tenanted properties are compliant 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, €140 million under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Scheme, and €28 million for Disabled Persons Grants. Allocations under each programme will be notified to local authorities in due course.
Details on funding recouped to local authorities including Cork County Council under various stock improvement programmes is available on my Department's website at the following links:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/0906a-other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#voids-programme.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/b86b3-midlands-energy-retrofit-programme-expenditure-and-units/.www.gov.ie/en/publication/061cd-disabled-persons-grant-and-improved-works-in-lieu-schemes-allocation-and-drawdown/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c472d-disabled-persons-grant-and-improved-works-in-lieu-schemes-allocation-and-drawdown-2011-2020/.
