Under €1 million left to address urgent housing needs in Leitrim for 2025

The Housing Department in Leitrim County Council has used the majority of its 2024 budget to acquire seven properties, four of which were purchased under the Tenant-in-Situ (TIS) scheme.

TIS is a government initiative where a local authority purchases a property already occupied by a tenant receiving social housing support, to prevent the tenant from becoming homeless when a landlord decides to sell.

The total cost of these acquisitions was €1,491,291, with the TIS purchases accounting for €858,301.

The remainder of the budget for 2025 stands at €974,643, which is now being allocated to address urgent housing needs under newly revised eligibility criteria.

Details were provided at May’s meeting of Leitrim County Council, where Cllr Pádraig Fallon requested a breakdown of total acquisitions in 2024 and their cost, along with the number and cost of TIS acquisitions, the number of applications paused and how many will proceed in 2025.

In response, the Council confirmed that one TIS application was paused in 2024, but is now proceeding at a cost of €134,560.

The overall capital allocation for 2025 is €2,000,000. After accounting for €1,025,357 in outstanding commitments, the balance remaining is €974,643.

Councillor calls for stronger action on vacant and derelict homes in Leitrim

Cllr Sean McGowan called on Leitrim County Council to explore the acquisition of derelict houses in towns, villages and rural areas, with a view of seeking Government funding to restore them.

The department is reviewing how best to allocate these funds to areas of urgent need including exits from homeless services and housing for people with disabilities and older persons.

Cllr Fallon voiced his concerns about the outlook for 2025, saying: “The reality is that acquisitions are going to be down in 2025. I fear for the future in regards to this and there’s no doubt in my mind that the risk of homelessness is now going to increase for many in this county and every other county.”

Additionally, new eligibility rules for the TIS scheme require that a property must have been receiving social housing support payments for at least two consecutive years.

Mary Quinn, Director of Services, Housing and Community, Corporate Services, Cultural and Emergency Services explained that it typically takes six months to complete a property acquisition, and available funding must be used by November. 

This means any decisions or actions taken in the next three months will effectively determine how much progress can be made this year.

In short, swift decisions and action in the coming months will be essential to ensure the remainder of the budget is used effectively.

READ MORE: Millions needed to clear LIS waiting list in Leitrim