Minister Browne announces €40m investment to bring 2,200 social homes back into use
- Published on: 10 March 2026
- Last updated on: 10 March 2026
Almost 30% increase in funding to reduce turnaround times from 18 to 12 weeks
Future Voids funding will be linked to performance
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD today announced €40 million in allocations to local authorities for 2026 to prepare approximately 2,200 local authority homes for re-letting.
This is an increase of €9m (29%) compared to last year’s allocation.
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). 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 for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD 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 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.
“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.
“Backed by a €40 million allocation for 2026—an increase of 29%—this approach will help prepare around 2,200 homes for re‑letting. That investment will make a tangible difference to people and their families across the country, ensuring that properties are not left idle but are brought back into use with speed. Ultimately, this is about making better use of what we already have and delivering homes to people sooner.”
In recent years, local authorities have shifted towards a planned maintenance model. This approach enables quicker repairs, reduces downtime and supports faster re‑letting of social homes. As a result, properties remain in continuous use and occupancy levels are more stable and consistent.
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, €385 million has been spent to return a total of 27,860 homes back into active use.
ENDS