Dublin Council Halts Home Purchase Scheme for At-Risk Tenants
Housing Crisis Deepens as Dublin Councils Halt Crucial Tenant-in-Situ Scheme
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Two major Dublin local authorities have been forced to pause their Tenant-in-Situ (TIS) schemes due to budget exhaustion, leaving hundreds of families at risk of homelessness and sparking outrage from TDs.
Budgetary Black Hole Leaves families Facing Eviction
Dublin City Council confirmed in June that it had stopped accepting new applications for the TIS scheme, having already allocated its entire 2025 budget. By March, the council had received 104 applications. Now, Fingal County Council has announced it is in the same predicament, halting all further purchases under the scheme.
In a letter addressed to Louise O’Reilly, Sinn Féin TD for Fingal West, Fingal County Council stated that its 2025 budget for the TIS scheme “has been exhausted.” The council had managed to complete 32 acquisitions under the scheme, with one final sale still in the conveyancing process. This marks a significant reduction from 2024, when 121 tenant-in-situ acquisitions were made.
The council admitted that 60 tenant-in-situ applications were paused at the beginning of the year and could not proceed due to funding limitations.
A Mother and Child’s Plight Highlights the Human Cost
The stark reality of these pauses is illustrated by the case of a mother and her young child living in rental accommodation in Balbriggan. The child is due to start school in the area this September,but the family now faces the terrifying prospect of homelessness.
The mother received a notice to quit in August 2024 and applied for the TIS scheme in March. She believed her request was accomplished until she was informed last month that the council had paused new applications.
TD Louise O’Reilly expressed her deep concern, stating, “The stress she is under is inhumane. She has also lost valuable time that she could have been searching for somewhere to live while believing that the tenant-in-situ purchase was ongoing.”
Government Accused of Withdrawing Lifeline
deputy O’Reilly criticised the government’s actions, asserting, “The Government has now literally removed the only homeless prevention measure that my constituents had. It is beyond heartbreaking to see the human impact of this decision on families and especially on children.”
The pause in these vital schemes raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to tackling the escalating housing crisis and protecting vulnerable families from homelessness. With budgets exhausted and applications stalled, the future looks increasingly bleak for many who rely on these measures for stability.