Almost €10m in funding to retrofit social homes across Cork county

More than €9.2m in funding has been allocated to Cork County Council for the upgrading of 230 social homes across the county this year.

The funding is part of a €140m package announced under the government’s 2026 energy efficiency retrofit programme, to support the retrofitting of around 3,500 local authority homes across the country.

Cork county is one of the biggest single beneficiaries under the initiative, with €8.74m of its allocation going towards works to make the homes more energy-efficient while reducing energy bills, cutting emissions, and lowering reliance on fossil fuels.

The outstanding balance will fund project management.

Since the programme was launched in 2021, more than 11,000 local authority homes have been retrofitted nationwide, with the government targeting the retrofit of 36,500 local authority homes by 2030.

Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea said the investment will both deliver benefits for tenants, and help to modernise social housing stock across the county.

“At a time when many families remain concerned about household expenses, improving the energy efficiency of social housing is one of the most effective ways we can reduce costs for tenants while also improving quality of life,” Mr O’Shea said.

“These projects support local employment, create opportunities for contractors and tradespeople, and contribute to our national climate targets.

“It is a win for tenants, a win for local communities and a win for the environment.”