21/10/2026
🏠 Minister for Housing announces changes to social housing delivery
On 20 October 2026, Minister James Browne announced a move away from purchasing new “turnkey” homes for social housing.
Turnkey acquisitions involve councils or approved housing bodies agreeing to buy homes after construction has started or been completed, without shaping the development from the outset.
📅 The final date for submitting applications for turnkey acquisition funding will be 31 December 2027. This is a funding application deadline—not a deadline for completing every purchase already approved.
The intention is to expand councils’ and approved housing bodies’ own building programmes, giving them greater control over the location, design and types of social homes delivered.
In a sense, Ireland is returning to its long tradition of council housebuilding, with greater emphasis on councils and housing bodies arranging for social homes to be built, rather than buying homes from developers.
🔰Social housing is not being abolished. This announcement changes a particular delivery method; it does not announce changes to eligibility or housing waiting lists.
The Government argues that the change will leave more new homes available for private buyers. Whether it improves access for first-time buyers will depend on delivery: changing who buys existing supply does not, by itself, create additional homes.
The key question is whether enough replacement social housing can be built without increasing the time people spend waiting.
