Fine Gael TD Colm Burke has joined with Sinn Féin and other opposition TDs in writing to Fianna Fáil Housing Minister James Browne, seeking his “urgent intervention” after the tenant-in-situ scheme in the city was curtailed because of a funding shortfall.
The scheme allows local authorities to step in and buy a rental property when the landlord is selling up, so tenants can stay living there and avoid homelessness.
Cork City Council acquired 135 properties last year but 33 of these sales have not yet been completed or are in the “sale agreed” phase, meaning their tenants are in limbo.
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The council has said that as a result of its financial commitments from 2024, its allocated funding for this year has been “exhausted” and that while it is engaging with the Department of Housing to ensure existing commitments are honoured, its acquisitions for 2025 have “now ceased”.
Alison O’Rourke, director of services in the housing directorate of Cork City Council, said “the funding allocation received by Cork City Council is inadequate to fulfil its existing commitment and the projected programme for 2025.”
She said the council is engaging with the department, but the progression of any additional purchases for 2025 “is ceased with immediate effect”.
In response to questions from Sinn Féin about the matter, Ms O’Rourke also said: “The cessation of the tenant-in-situ programme will be expected to have a significant effect on homelessness prevention.”
She said the scheme prevented 37 single-occupant households and 51 families – comprising 87 adults and 100 children – from becoming homeless last year.
A letter sent to the Housing Minister from a cross-party group of six TDs and 18 councillors said they are “deeply concerned” that families could be left homeless.
The letter was signed by Mr Burke, a former junior health minister, as well as two Sinn Féin TDs, Thomas Gould and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Labour TD Eoghan Kenny, Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn and Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice.
“We have all personally supported families through the process and seen the huge benefits of the scheme. Providing secure, affordable and permanent housing is vital to ensuring every family reaches their full potential,” the letter said.
“We are asking you to reconsider this funding allocation to reopen the scheme to new applicants and to urgently supply interim funding to allow Cork City Council meet its pre-existing commitments.”
Figures compiled by Sinn Féin’s housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin show the issue is widespread across the country.
There has been a 50pc cut in funding available to Dublin City Council for 2025 for housing acquisition schemes.
The council was granted an allocation of €117m for last year and €95m for 2025 for home acquisition schemes. But €37m of this is being used to pay for 165 purchases last year, meaning around €59m remains for 2025.
There has been a 92pc cut in the funding for Galway County Council, which was granted €6m for acquisitions this year but said when the 2024 overhang is dealt with, the remaining balance is estimated to be €500,000.
Mr Ó Broin believes there has been opposition within the Government to local authorities buying homes that could otherwise be bought by private owner-occupiers.
“These are vital acquisition schemes designed to prevent people from becoming homeless, getting people out of emergency accommodation more quickly and bringing derelict and vacant homes back into use,” the Sinn Féin TD said.
“The net result of all of this is that more people will be in emergency accommodation for a longer period of time than if the existing rules had been left in place.”
The Irish Independent contacted the Department of Housing for comment.
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