COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, April 14, 2025

QUESTION NO. 37

QUESTION: Councillor N. Whelan

To ask the Chief Executive if there are currently any potential tenant in situ purchases being delayed as a result of guidance not being issued on the new revised scheme from the Minister for Housing?

REPLY:

The Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage (DHLGH) has recently advised the Council of our funding allocation for an acquisitions programme to purchase second-hand homes for social housing in 2025. The allocation for South Dublin is €25 million, representing approximately 7.7% of the total national funding for acquisitions. This funding applies only to the following priority categories of need:

The DHLGH guidance on the acquisitions programme includes the following criteria for acquisitions supporting tenancy sustainment: For registered tenancies that have been subject to social housing support payments for a continuous period of at least two years, with a valid notice of termination, where the local authority has been unable to engage with the landlord to maintain the existing tenancy, or where an alternative Council/AHB tenancy or private rented accommodation cannot be secured, acquisition should be considered only as a last resort. Additionally, priority should be given to families with children, older persons, or people with disabilities who are at serious risk of homelessness. Similarly, where funding is used to support exits from homeless services, DHLGH advises that priority should be given to families who have spent more than 24 months in emergency accommodation, single people, especially those identified for Housing First, large families and care leavers. We will now review our current and potential commitments for acquisitions to determine our remaining scope to support acquisitions in line with DHLGH criteria, funding, and guidance for the 2025 acquisitions programme.