Wexford County Council expected to purchase just 20 homes under tenant-in-situ scheme in 2025

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

The scaling back of the tenant-in-situ scheme has been highlighted once more at the monthly meeting of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD). Having previously expressed her outrage at changes to the eligibility criteria of a scheme which allows local authorities to buy rental properties from private landlords who are selling, Councillor Aoife Rose O’Brien asked just how many units Wexford County Council would be purchasing under the scheme in 2025.

The changes in criteria mean that local authorities and approved housing bodies now prioritise families with children, older people, or people with disabilities, and only in cases where a landlord has issued a no-fault eviction notice with the intent to sell the property. Previously, councils were permitted to buy any property where a tenant was facing eviction due to a landlord selling the property, provided they were in receipt of housing supports like HAP or RAS.

As a result the number of properties purchased under the scheme is expected to drop, something which Cllr O’Brien raised at the RMD meeting.

“I’ve been told we’re only going to afford 20 units for 2025 under the scheme, that’s totally unrealistic,” she said. “In previous years we had 35-40 properties purchased under the scheme, so we’re cutting it by half this year. We’ve received minimal funding under this scheme. This great, fantastic national scheme is only going to prevent 20 families from homelessness. It’s not enough, especially with the winter months ahead.”

In response, housing officer Sharon Ryan said she couldn’t confirm whether the figures quoted by Cllr O’Brien were “exact” but she would investigate and return with further information.