Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
224. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current level of delivery of purpose built and adapted housing for persons with disabilities, including new builds and adaptation grants, within local authority areas serving north Dublin; whether additional ring fenced targets or funding streams are under consideration to address unmet need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17797/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment is committed to ensuring that disabled people are supported and encouraged to live independently. Cooperation and collaboration of Government Departments, State agencies and others is critical in delivering housing and the related supports for disabled people.
My Department provides support to Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in the provision of social housing across Construction, Lease and Acquisition funding programmes.
Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making an important contribution to social housing delivery and have a proven track record in the delivery and management of homes for social housing. Building or acquiring a home is only the starting point. AHBs have excellent systems in place for the ongoing management and maintenance of homes and tenant management throughout the lifetime of an agreement.
The relevant Local Authority, in this case Fingal County Council, determines the eligibility for the proposed development/scheme having regard to the location, suitability and demand for social housing in the relevant area and for the development of appropriate responses to the need identified. Local Authorities play a key role in the identification of suitable developments for social housing needs and ensure effective delivery in line with commitments and targets under Government policy.
My Department primarily supports the funding of such housing through the Capital Acquisition Scheme (CAS) but support is also provided to AHBs under the Capital Advance leasing Facility.
In order for an organisation to be eligible for CAS or CALF funding, at a minimum, they must be an Approved Housing Body (AHB) as per section 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 and Housing Circular 35/2024, in that they must “Be on the AHB register maintained by the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority available on AHBRA’s website”. In respect of CALF the AHB must also be able to demonstrate compliance with Housing Circular 13/2025.
In 2025, 15 homes in Fingal were delivered for older persons using CAS funding, and approvals are in place for an additional 38 homes across 4 sites in Fingal for older persons and people with disabilities to be delivered in coming years.
My Department also provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a contribution from the local authority. The detailed administration of the scheme including assessment, approval, prioritisation and apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities.
Details of the number of grant claims provided by all local authorities, including Fingal County Council, under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People Scheme, are available on my Department's website at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/
The total number of grants claims provided by local authorities in 2025 will be available on my Department’s website in early 2026.
Additionally, my Department recently issued Circular: Housing 07/2026, which outlines the Arrangements for Social Housing Second-Hand Acquisitions in 2026. To support this I have made funding of €373m available for drawdown in 2026, within this there is a specific allocation of €50 million for AHBs to provide emergency responses for persons with disabilities, older persons and care leavers, €6m of which is allocated to Fingal County Council to support delivery in this area.
Furthermore, delivery of homes for this sector can be made utilising the Buy and Renew scheme, which involves the delivery of social housing by a local authority or AHB. The scheme targets vacant and derelict properties for return to use as new social homes through the purchase and refurbishment of the properties. The purchase of vacant/derelict properties and remediation work/ rebuild is managed directly by the relevant local authority or AHB. An updated guidance circular for Local Authorities is being prepared and will issue shortly.
