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Second council pauses tenant-in-situ scheme in Dublin

Second council pauses tenant-in-situ scheme in Dublin

Irish Independent10 hours ago
The scheme, which saves tenants from eviction when landlords choose to sell the property, was allocated a budget of €25m this year.
However, a decision has now been made to pause the scheme, impacting 41 houses in the process of being purchased this year.
SDCC confirmed it will not be accepting any new applications for the scheme at this time.
However, they will be kept under review pending funding reallocation in cases where conveyance does not proceed.
Sinn Féin Dublin mid-west TD Eoin Ó Broin said the decision to pause the scheme is 'simply unacceptable'.
Mr Ó Broin is calling for more government funding for the measure.
'The Government must reverse this callous decision and reinstate and increase the funding for the tenant-in-situ scheme,' he said.
'[It must] reintroduce the necessary flexibility for councils, so that they can acquire the maximum number of properties to prevent households from becoming homeless.'
Mr Ó Broin said the rule changes and funding cuts implemented by Housing Minister James Browne in April are preventing a number of families from accessing the 'vital homeless prevention scheme'.
'This confirms once again that the decision is putting significant numbers of families at risk of homelessness. This is simply unacceptable,' he said.
The decision comes off the back of Fingal County Council's announcement to also pause the scheme last month.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland at the time, Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly said the decision affected 60 properties in Fingal in the process of being purchased this year.
'The council tells me they don't have any money, that they have spent it all and they cannot continue with the tenant-in-situ,' she said.
Reading from a letter from Fingal County Council, Ms O'Reilly said: 'The second hand acquisition for 2025, has been exhausted.
'That's 60 very devastated families. The tenant-in-situ programme is virtually the only homeless prevention measure the council has at its disposal.'
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Second council pauses tenant-in-situ scheme in Dublin
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