AN investment of over €1.5m to bring social homes back into use has been allocated for Limerick in 2026.
Housing Minister James Browne announced €40m in allocations to local authorities for 2026 to prepare around 2,200 homes for re-letting – an almost 30 per cent funding increase nationally.
In Limerick, the allocation (€1,511,820) includes €598,820 in planned maintenance and €913,000 in voids, a new model which will link future funding allocations to local authority performance.
This year’s funding allocation marks a 29 per cent increase for Limerick, or €9m extra, compared to 2025.
By 2027, a vacancy rate target of two per cent and a maximum average turnaround time of 18 weeks will be targeted, with further reductions planned for 2028 (15 weeks) and 2029 (12 weeks). Local authorities that meet these targets will be eligible to receive full funding under the revised model.
Minister Browne said “this new model for the Voids Programme is ultimately about delivering social homes to families and individuals more quickly.”
“Too many social homes have remained vacant for too long, particularly when we are in a housing crisis,” the Minister added.
“By linking funding to turnaround performance, we are ensuring that every local authority is supported and incentivised to return homes to use as swiftly as possible.”
Over time, the amount and share of funding allocated to planned maintenance will increase, while voids funding will reduce as local authorities focus more on proactive preventative maintenance.
Since the commencement of the Voids Programme in 2014, €385m has been spent to return 27,860 homes back into active use.