Housing Schemes
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-18
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Mike Kennelly (FG), Labour Panel

The scheme was introduced for people facing homelessness so tenants could be put in a place where properties could be purchased without leaving the properties and facing homelessness. Properties cannot be got when a notice to quit has been served on a family. They cannot be sourced. There is nothing to rent or lease. There is nothing to be got. People are falling through the cracks because they cannot get any other local property. When the crack that nothing is available is identified, why can the council not buy the properties, even if a cost analysis of it has been done? The scheme is not doing what it is supposed to and that is why I am raising it.
The Minister of State said that last year, some €375 million was allocated to local authorities for acquisitions and, of that, only €290 million was drawn down. That sounds alarm bells. Kerry County Council drew down money last year for the tenant in situ scheme, but it was to deliver houses it bought in 2024. I have the breakdown. I want a review of it and for someone to come back me about what to tell the people of Kerry where notices to quit are regularly coming for families. They have to leave the properties within a three-, five- or six-month period and there is nothing to rent. Will the Department look at this again because it is not working in my county? The purchase of 23 properties under the tenant in situ scheme in recent years is a poor return for people facing homelessness, and we have figures to prove it.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-18