Sinn Féin analysis exposes government cuts of between 35% and 100% to funding of vital social housing schemes – Eoin Ó Broin TD
25 April 2025
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that analysis by Sinn Féin has exposed government cuts of between 35% and 100% to funding of vital social housing schemes in local authorities across the state.
He added that the party’s analysis suggests that these figures may be a conservative estimate as they do not take into account applications that are not yet closed in 2024 that are now being assessed under new rules.
Teahta Ó Broin said:
“In April Minister for Housing James Browne announced far reaching changes to how social housing acquisitions were funded. These include a number of schemes designed to prevent homelessness and help people exit emergency accommodation.
“Following the changes, Sinn Féin elected representatives wrote to Local Authorities asking them a series of questions about funding for social housing acquisitions in 2024 and 2025.
“To date seven Councils have replied. An analysis of the impact of the changes, published today by Sinn Féin, shows significant funding cuts to these vital schemes.
“Cork City Council funding is being cut by 100%; Galway County Council cut by 92%; Dublin City Council cut by 50%, Fingal County Council cut by 39%; and Kerry County Council cut by 35%.
“Indeed, our analysis suggests that these figures may be a conservative estimate as they do not take into account applications that are not yet closed in 2024 that are now being assessed under new rules. This means the scale of the cuts for new applications in 2025 could be even greater.
“The consequence of these cuts will be less acquisitions across all funding programmes in 2025. This means more people being at risk of homelessness, more people trapped in emergency accommodation, more vacant and derelict homes and less rightsizing.
“Sinn Féin is calling on the Minister for Housing James Browne to immediately reverse these cuts, provide the same level of funding for 2025 acquisitions as will be spent on 2024 acquisitions and to reverse the severe restrictions on the operation of the tenant-in-situ scheme.”
Sinn Féin’s analysis, Social Housing Acquisitions 2024 and 2025 funding comparison – a snapshot, can be read here.
