Funding cuts hit vulnerable Wicklow people trying to find housing

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Wicklow County Council has seen a dramatic drop in funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), which provides Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) with funding to purchase or build homes for people with priority needs, such as the elderly and those living with disabilities.

In 2022, the local authority recouped over €40 million in CAS funding, compared to just €2.7 million in 2023 and €2.1 million in 2024.

To date in 2025, Wicklow County Council has recouped €4.4m of their €6m allocation from the Department of Housing, which includes €1m recouped under CAS.

In 2022, this funding delivered 90 completed homes and six acquired homes. That dropped to just nine homes in both 2023 and 2024, and so far, this year no homes have been completed or acquired using CAS funds in Wicklow.

Applications to deliver new social housing under CAS are made by AHBs to the relevant housing authority and, as with all social housing projects, it is a matter for the housing authority to prioritise projects based on how they meet the area's housing need.

The Department of Housing have no say in how the funding allocation is used, it is a matter solely for the local authority to decide on how the money is distributed within the priority categories supported by the programme.

Responding to the figures, Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady warned the collapse in funding leaves housing bodies in limbo and vulnerable people without hope of any suitable accommodation.

“Age-friendly accommodation must be made available for elderly people who can no longer remain in their family home. People with disabilities also deserve the same independence, dignity, and opportunity to live happy lives as anyone else.”

Deputy Brady said the drop in CAS investment is part of a wider trend, with funding for other vital schemes also being cut.

“This follows the same pattern we saw with the tenant in situ scheme, which allowed local authorities to purchase homes of those on the social housing list when the property was being sold. “That scheme has proven to be an effective way to prevent homelessness, but like CAS, it has been allowed to wither due to government neglect.”

“With house prices soaring, the need for proper funding has never been greater. The government must restore CAS funding to previous levels so that our most vulnerable citizens can access the housing they need, whether that is age-friendly homes for older people or supported housing for people with disabilities.” he added.