Written Answers Nos. 625-636
625. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 513 of 6 May 2026, if supports are available to a person who has already received approval for social housing but has been issued with a social housing income assessment and has literacy vulnerabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37596/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraApplications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
Regulations 27 to 29 of the 2011 Regulations provide for a review of social housing assessments. A review involves a fresh determination of whether a household continues to qualify for social housing support. A housing authority may undertake such a review where it becomes aware of changes in household circumstances or other relevant information, or where it considers it appropriate to do so. In addition, where a housing authority is considering the provision, or facilitation, of social housing support to a qualified household, it is required to review the assessment. In addition, the Department undertakes periodic statutory summaries of social housing assessments, the aim of which is to capture the total number of households nationally which continue to qualify for social housing support and whose housing need is not being met. As part of this assessment, all local authorities write to relevant households informing them of the assessment process and seeking updated information where necessary.
Local authority staff are available to assist applicants and qualified households who may have difficulty in engaging with the process, including those with literacy vulnerabilities. As with the initial application process, this assistance can include support in understanding and completing a review of social housing assessment. The day-to-day operation of the social housing system is a matter solely for each local authority including any assistance provided in this regard.
627. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure that a person (details supplied) receives a prompt and adequate response from the property agents to their request for a detailed breakdown of the fire levy charges. [37618/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI fully acknowledge the difficulties that homeowners and residents of many apartments and duplexes are facing, and the stress that is caused when defects arise in relation to their buildings. The Government is committed to helping those whose lives have been impacted by this issue.
In this regard, Government approval was received on 18 September 2024 for the priority drafting of the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill. The purpose of this legislation is to place the defects remediation Scheme on a statutory footing, further to commitments contained in the Programme for Government and Housing for All.
The Scheme will provide supports for the remediation of relevant fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. It is envisaged that 100% of eligible remediation costs will be funded under the Scheme.
The General Scheme of the Bill completed pre-legislative scrutiny earlier this year, and it is expected that the legislation will be placed before the Oireachtas this year.
The Government is committed to consideration of remediation costs already incurred as part of the drafting of the Bill. Remediation costs already incurred or levied prior to the introduction of the statutory scheme will be covered, once such costs fall within the scope and defined parameters of the Scheme.
OMCs remain the responsible legal entities for the management and maintenance of their developments, including decisions relating to the funding and delivery of remediation works. As such, decisions regarding the raising of levies, the timing of works, and any associated financial arrangements are matters for the OMC directors and their members.
The regulation of property services providers (auctioneers, estate agents, letting agents, and property management agents) falls under the remit of the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), the statutory body established under the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 (the Act).
The Act and its accompanying regulations require licensed property management agents to comply with strict standards of conduct and financial accountability in their dealings with their clients, in this case an Owners' Management Company (OMC).
It is important to note that the agent takes their instruction from and engages with the mandated person detailed in the Letter of Engagement.
Where a person is dissatisfied with their property service provider, it is open to them to submit a complaint to the PSRA by email to info@psr.ie. A copy of the PSRA’s Complaint Form is available on our website at www.psr.ie.
628. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can ensure that student accommodation located in rent pressure zones is not subject to inflating service charges, as an alternative to rent increases, as providers are restricted in increasing rents in these areas. [37628/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2026 (the RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the residential rental sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the RTA to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
Section 16 of the RTA obliges a tenant to pay any charges or taxes in accordance with the lease or tenancy agreement unless they are unlawful or contravene any other enactment. In general, the question of whether or not a tenant has to pay charges to a landlord depends on the terms of the lease or tenancy agreement. The amount of any such charges, if applicable, is a matter to be agreed between landlord and tenant. Contract law governs such arrangements. The specific terms associated with an individual tenant’s rights and obligations are likely to be set out in a written contract signed by both the tenant and the landlord.
Where there is a disagreement regarding charges payable under a lease or tenancy agreement, the tenant or landlord may refer a dispute to the RTB for resolution.
629. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of the €373 million allocated under the 2026 Second-Hand Social Housing Acquisitions Programme; how this compares in percentage terms with the €290 million drawn down in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37629/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra630. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which the €150 million is ring-fenced to support households exiting long-term homeless accommodation will be allocated among local authorities; the criteria that will apply; the number of exits from homelessness that are projected under this funding stream in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37630/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra631. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail how the €50 million allocated to approved housing bodies for the provision of accommodation for elderly persons, persons with disabilities and care leavers will be distributed; the output targets associated with this allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37631/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra632. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which the €157 million available at the discretion of local authorities may be utilised, including for tenancy sustainment and tenant-in-situ acquisitions; the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure value-for-money and alignment with national housing priorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37632/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra633. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria that will govern access to the contingency fund of approximately €16 million; the way in which local authorities may apply for additional allocations; whether this funding is expected to be fully drawn down in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37633/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra634. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to explain the rationale for authorising local authorities to commit up to 30% of their 2026 base allocation for acquisitions that may only complete in 2027; the way in which this multi-annual approach supports pipeline planning and delivery certainty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37634/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra635. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the eligibility criteria for tenant-in-situ acquisitions retained from 2025; and the justification for the additional condition disallowing such acquisitions where a household has refused a reasonable offer of local authority or approved housing body accommodation following receipt of a notice of termination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37635/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra636. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the assessment that has been undertaken regarding the balance between reliance on second-hand acquisitions as a last-resort measure and the delivery of newly built social housing; whether projected increases in social housing construction are expected to reduce future reliance on acquisitions programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37636/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 629 to 636, inclusive, together.
The 2026 Social Housing Second Hand Acquisitions Programme was rolled out by my Department in February this year, with some €373 million available for draw down to progress urgent acquisitions and support households in the most precarious housing situations.
Critically, such acquisitions are available to local authorities as a last resort when all other options have been exhausted. They will never be the sole, or even the primary, option. The default first options should almost always be securing the sustainment of the tenancy with the landlord, securing alternative accommodation through the Tenancy Sustainment and Placefinder services, or allocating a local authority or Approved Housing Body (AHB) tenancy via a new build home or re-let.
Accordingly, in a notable change under the 2026 programme, tenant in situ acquisitions are not permitted where the tenants in question have refused offers of alternative accommodation from their local authority. Given tenant in situ acquisitions should only be progressed as a last resort, where alternative accommodation is available, and has been offered to a HAP or RAS tenant, the acquisition of a private rented home cannot be a last resort option and will not be supported under the programme.
A breakdown of the funding available this year, per programme priority, and a comparison with the funding drawn down under the corresponding priorities in 2025 is set out in the table below.
|
Priority Category |
Allocation 2026 |
% |
Drawdown 2025 |
% |
|
Exits from Homelessness |
€150 million |
40% |
€67 million |
23% |
|
AHB Priority Delivery Acquisitions |
€50 million |
14% |
€15 million |
5% |
|
LA Priority Acquisitions |
€157 Million |
42% |
€188 million |
65% |
|
Contingency |
€16 million |
4% |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Buy and Renew Tackling Vacancy |
Managed via dedicated scheme in 2026 |
0% |
€19 million |
7% |
While there is sufficient funding available this year to support at least 1,000 second hand acquisitions, no targets have been set for any of the programme priorities. Rather, the funding available provides local authorities scope to progress acquisitions for urgent cases, where all other options have been exhausted.
It is too early to determine how much of the available funding will be drawn down by local authorities this year, but there is more than adequate funding available to meet any, and all, urgent acquisitions that can be progressed, completed and drawn down by local authorities in 2026. That said, a €16 million contingency fund has been retained and can be accessed by those local authorities that have drawn down at least 75% of their initial allocation and have capacity to complete further acquisitions and draw down funding from my Department this year. This contingency is available for acquisitions across the three priority categories, though acquisitions supporting exits from homelessness will be prioritised.
Moreover, local authorities may commit up to the value of 30% of their base 2026 allocations (some €85 million or so) for acquisitions that will complete or drawdown funding in 2027. This effectively establishes the programme on a multiannual basis and facilitates local authorities and AHBs to plan and progress acquisitions from one year to the next with a higher level of certainty vis-à-vis future funding availability. Accordingly, it ensures eligible acquisitions commenced in the later months of this year can continue to progress with certainty that funding will be available to meet eligible costs arising next year.
With more than 17,000 households availing of emergency homeless services, this year's programme is prioritising acquisitions that will help exit households from homeless accommodation into permanent homes. To this end, €150 million has been ringfenced and allocated, in the first instance, to the 11 local authorities with the greatest number of families (with children) in homeless accommodation for extended periods of time. The remaining local authorities may draw on their respective LA Priority Acquisitions allocations to progress purchases for homeless households. Additional funding can also be accessed through the contingency fund for this purpose.
Ultimately, the delivery of new additional social homes is the only strategic solution to address long-term homelessness, with allocations from new and existing local authority and AHB social homes the primary means through which social housing qualified households should be accommodated. Accordingly, demand for acquisitions, supported at elevated levels by the Exchequer since 2023, should continue to taper off as a greater number of new homes comes on stream. Notably, a record number of new build social homes was delivered in 2025, and this is expected to increase further in 2026.
A rudimentary analysis of the ratio of new build homes delivered to second hand homes acquired was undertaken by my Department earlier this year. It showed a large disparity between local authorities, with 18 new builds per acquisition at one end, and two new builds per acquisition at the lower end. That said, there may be many factors contributing to the difference across local authorities. A full analysis of these factors and their potential impact on output across authorities was not undertaken.
An allocation of €50 million has also been ringfenced for priority acquisitions for persons with disabilities, older persons and care leavers requiring urgent housing responses. A dedicated, ringfenced allocation per local authority area ensures funding will be available to AHBs to acquire homes for the most vulnerable cohorts throughout the year. This allocation, which had some regard to the level of such acquisitions across local authorities in previous years, can be accessed by AHBs per the standard arrangements under my Departments Capital Assistance Scheme.
A further €157 million is available to local authorities to support acquisitions across each of the priority categories as required, including for exits from homelessness, persons with disabilities, older persons and care leavers, and tenancy sustainment via tenant in situ acquisitions.
Ultimately, local authorities have delegated sanction to progress any such acquisition without recourse to my Department where the cost does not exceed the Department's Acquisition Cost Guidelines. The guidelines reference lower and upper acquisition cost ranges, as well as average benchmark costs, and reflect the prevailing range of prices across local authorities at the time of issue, thereby ensuring value for money for the State's investment. That said, they are not ceilings or limits, but benchmarks. My Department will consider acquisition proposals, on a case-by-case basis, where the cost of acquiring the property exceeds the guidelines. The guidelines are issued annually and updated guidance is expected to issue in near future.
