Funding granted to bring social housing in County Roscommon back into use

Funding of more than €380,000 has been granted to Roscommon County Council to bring social homes back into use in the county.

The Department of Housing said that Roscommon received an almost 30 per cent funding increase to reduce the time it takes to bring houses back into use, from 18 to 12 weeks.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne recently announced a €382,680 allocation to prepare local authority homes in the county for re-letting in 2026. This is an increase of 29.66% compared to last year, the department said.

It is part of €40 million in national allocations to local authorities for 2026, which will bring approximately 2,200 homes back into active use. This investment builds on ongoing efforts to tackle vacancy and dereliction, ensuring that empty social homes are brought back into use far more quickly.

The minister also announced a new model for the ‘Voids Programme’ which will link future funding allocations to local authority performance, with a strong focus on reducing vacancy levels and improving turnaround times.

“By 2027, a vacancy rate target of 2% and a maximum average turnaround time of 18 weeks will be targeted, with further reductions in turnaround times planned for 2028 (15 weeks) and 2029 (12 weeks),” the department said. “Local authorities that meet these targets will be eligible to receive full funding under the revised model.” Announcing the funding and the changed model for allocations, Minister James Browne said this new model for the Voids Programme was 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,” he said. “The new vacancy and turnaround time targets will mean that properties spend less time empty and more time providing security and stability for people who need them most.” Since the commencement of the Voids Programme in 2014, €385 million has been spent to return a total of 27,860 homes back into active use.

Senator Gareth Scahill said that the Voids Programme Funding was making more efficient use of existing housing stock, bringing more homes back into active use in Roscommon.

“Bringing vacant housing back into use across towns and villages is essential to help ease pressure on the existing housing stock. It will boost supply and deliver much-needed social homes, while rejuvenating our towns,” he said.

“No one wants to see empty buildings in their towns or villages that could be used as homes, so it’s fantastic to see these buildings being brought back into use here in Roscommon.

“I would like to thank Roscommon County Council for their hard work in returning these homes to use. The new vacancy and turnaround time targets will mean that properties spend less time empty and more time providing security and stability for people who need them the most.”