Tipperary County Council has been allocated €1.4 million under the latest round of the Government’s Voids Programme, in a move expected to help bring more vacant local authority homes back into use across the county.
The funding forms part of a wider €40 million national investment announced by Housing Minister Mr James Browne, which will support the refurbishment and re-letting of around 2,200 local authority homes across the country in 2026.
The latest allocation is expected to provide a significant boost for Tipperary as demand for housing remains strong and pressure continues on local authority stock. The funding will be used to prepare vacant council-owned properties for new tenants, helping to increase housing supply through the reuse of existing homes.
The announcement also signals a major policy shift in how future funding under the Voids Programme will be distributed.
Under a revised performance-based model introduced by the Minister, future allocations will be linked to how effectively local authorities reduce vacancy levels and improve turnaround times for re-letting homes.
From 2027, local authorities, including Tipperary County Council, will be expected to maintain a vacancy rate of no more than 2% and achieve a maximum average turnaround time of 18 weeks for vacant properties. The turnaround target will tighten further to 15 weeks in 2028 and 12 weeks in 2029.
Councils that meet those targets will qualify for full funding under the revised model, placing a stronger emphasis on delivery, efficiency and the rapid reuse of existing housing stock.
The funding will be seen as a positive development for Tipperary, particularly given the ongoing need to maximise available housing and reduce the time homes remain vacant between lettings.
Nationally, the Government says the Voids Programme has played a significant role in bringing empty social homes back into use over the past decade. Since the scheme began in 2014, a total of €385 million has been invested, supporting the return of 27,860 homes to active use.
The 2026 allocation is also a 29% increase on the previous year’s funding, reflecting what the Department says is a continued focus on tackling vacancy and increasing housing availability through refurbishment.
For Tipperary, the €1.4 million allocation is expected to support further progress in returning vacant homes to use, while positioning the local authority to meet the tougher targets that will shape future funding in the years ahead.
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