Wexford County Council has reactivated 66 vacant social homes so far in 2024, as part of a nationwide effort to tackle housing shortages by bringing empty properties back into use.
This work is supported by the national Voids Programme, which helps local authorities repair and re-let homes more quickly. Wexford has moved to a “planned maintenance” model, which means homes are turned around faster and kept in better condition for future tenants. The county returned 61 homes to use in 2023 and 393 since 2014.
Minister for Housing James Browne welcomed the progress, saying: “Renovating these homes not only meets urgent housing needs but also helps communities by preventing decline and abandonment.”
Across the country, over 2,300 social homes were brought back into use in 2024. Since 2020, the government has spent nearly €190 million on returning more than 13,000 homes to active use.
The trend is expected to continue into 2025.
