Dublin councils to draw down almost half of €373m second-hand housing fund in 2026
Capital accounts for €185.9m of national acquisitions programme as delivery performance varies sharply across counties
25 February 2026 | 📧 editor@ipropertyradio.com
Almost half of the €373 million allocated under the 2026 Second-Hand Social Housing Acquisitions Programme is earmarked for the four Dublin local authorities, according to new Department of Housing data.
Dublin City Council has been allocated €110.7 million for 2026, the largest single allocation in the State. Fingal County Council will have access to €30.7 million, South Dublin County Council €28.3 million and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown €16.2 million.
Combined, the four authorities account for €185.9 million, just under 50% of the national €373 million fund available this year.
The overall programme represents an increase of more than €80 million compared to the €290 million drawn down nationally in 2025. Of the 2026 total, €150 million is ring-fenced to support households exiting long-term homelessness and €50 million is reserved for Approved Housing Bodies to accommodate older people, people with disabilities and care leavers. A further €157 million is available to local authorities at their discretion, alongside a €15.8 million contingency.
The concentration of funding in Dublin reflects both housing need and historic acquisition activity. In 2025, Dublin City completed 213 acquisitions, more than a quarter of the 775 homes acquired nationally on a provisional basis. Fingal completed 67 acquisitions and South Dublin 66, meaning the three councils together delivered 346 purchases last year.
However, the 2025 output data also show significant variation between allocation levels and delivery performance across the country.
Nationally, local authorities spent 73% of their initial 2025 allocations on acquisitions, with a total provisional spend of €231.6 million on purchase costs alone. Some councils exceeded their allocations. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown spent 113.95% of its initial allocation, while Fingal spent 111.96%.
Others recorded substantial under-spend. Galway County spent 18% of its allocation on acquisitions, Kilkenny 4%, and Cavan 22.75%. In cash terms, Galway County underspent its initial allocation by more than €4.4 million, while Cork County underspent by almost €5 million.
Despite this uneven delivery profile, 2026 allocations remain significant across all counties. Limerick, for example, completed 26 acquisitions in 2025 and has been allocated €17 million for 2026, an increase of €9.76 million compared to its 2025 acquisition spend. By contrast, Louth completed 28 acquisitions in 2025 but sees a comparatively modest €140,000 increase in its 2026 allocation.
The programme also operates on a multi-annual basis. As in 2025, local authorities are authorised to commit up to 30% of their 2026 base allocation to acquisitions that are likely to complete in 2027. This means that a portion of this year’s headline funding may translate into completions next year rather than within the current calendar year.
For prospective buyers in tight urban markets, particularly in Dublin, the scale of acquisition funding indicates that local authorities will remain active purchasers of second-hand homes in 2026, driving competition. At the same time, the variation in 2025 spend rates highlights differing levels of delivery capacity across the country, raising questions about how effectively increased allocations will convert into completed homes this year and next.
