‘Inadequate’ funding for Cork City Council sees end to tenant-in-situ scheme

A programme which sees Cork City Council acquire properties a landlord is planning to sell is to be ceased due to “inadequate” government funding, despite it helping 224 people avoid homelessness last year.

A circular was issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage on March 31, which said there would be a capital funding allocation of €20m for Cork city in 2025.

Alison O’Rourke, the director of the housing directorate, explained: “The council’s initial review of the circular, the programme parameters, conditions, and the allocation indicates that the funding received will be insufficient to adequately cover current commitments from 2024 into 2025.”

135 homes were acquired by the council in 2024, including 79 tenant-in-situ acquisitions. A further 33 homes were at the sale agreed stage at the end of the year.

Funding exhausted 

The tenant-in-situ scheme allows local authorities to purchase rental properties from landlords who are selling, ensuring tenants facing eviction due to the sale can continue to rent from the authority.

Ms O’Rourke said: “The impact of funding will unfortunately mean that the 2025 Acquisition Programme is now ceased. We have determined that the allocated funding has been exhausted.

“The refurbishment programme for tenant-in-situ properties, to bring them up to lettable standards, will be required to be reduced or terminated."

Ms O’Rourke said this is “expected to have a significant effect on homeless preventions”.

In 2024, tenant-in-situ accounted for 37.7% of homeless preventions in Cork city — including 37 single households and 51 families, comprising 87 adults and 100 children.

In 2024, there were 257 compliant notices of termination issued where the landlord had intention to sell. In Q1 of 2025, a further 104 notices were issued — a 47% increase on average per quarter this year.

To date in 2025, 39 new households have been placed in emergency accommodation due to receipt of compliant notices to quit — 23 single households and 16 families, comprising of 25 adults and 35 children. Ms O’Rourke said the council will pursue all avenues to assist with homeless prevention in such circumstances.

Limited

“However the availability of suitable and immediately available property for such large numbers will be limited,” she said.

“The council is discussing the matter with the Department of Housing, and we envisage that commitments will be honoured.

“However, the progression of any additional purchases under the 2025 Acquisitions Programme is ceased with immediate effect.”

Sinn Féin councillor Kenneth Collins, to whom the information was provided in response to a written question, said: “This is absolutely shocking. There are families in Cork city right now who will be made homeless because of this. We stand in full solidarity with Cork City Council in fighting against this.

“They have worked tirelessly to implement the tenant-in-situ scheme to prevent homelessness over the last 18 months. That work has now been undermined and dismissed.

“It is very worrying that the council is even being forced to fight to honour existing commitments. The funding allocation is clearly nowhere near sufficient, and the minister must have known this.”