Ireland’s social housing system added fewer homes in 2025, while the pace of energy upgrades remains too slow to meet the Government’s 2030 target, according to a new assessment. The findings place housing supply, vacant properties and local authority performance at the centre of the latest Breaking News Ireland.
Social housing additions fell during 2025
The number of homes added to local authority social housing stock fell by 18.78 per cent compared with 2024, the National Oversight and Audit Commission said in its latest local authority performance indicator report.
Despite the reduction in annual additions, local authorities owned 158,772 social housing units at the end of 2025. That represented an increase of 4,324 homes over the course of the year.
The commission described housing as a continuing area of concern. It said the figures showed limited growth in annual output despite initiatives intended to increase the supply of social homes.
Vacancy rate reaches lowest point since 2015
The report also identified progress in reducing the number of vacant local authority homes. A total of 3,866 social housing units were vacant at the end of 2025, down from 4,251 the previous year.
The vacancy rate for housing directly provided by local authorities fell to 2.44 per cent. According to the commission, that was the lowest level recorded since 2015.
However, reducing vacancies does not automatically mean that homes become available to families quickly. Average reletting times remained above 32 weeks nationally, with significant differences between local authorities.
Reletting times varied across the country
- Monaghan recorded the shortest average reletting time at 11.61 weeks.
- Laois followed at 16.07 weeks.
- Sligo recorded an average of 20.71 weeks.
- Kerry had the longest average at 66.12 weeks.
- Limerick City and County recorded an average of 56.50 weeks.
These differences suggest that local authority capacity, property condition and the work required between tenancies continue to affect how quickly homes can be returned to use.
- 158,772 local authority social housing units were held at the end of 2025.
- 4,324 homes were added during the year.
- Annual additions fell by 18.78 per cent compared with 2024.
- 3,866 units were vacant at year-end.
- The vacancy rate was 2.44 per cent.
Retrofit programme unlikely to meet 2030 goal at current pace
Energy efficiency upgrades are another major concern highlighted in the report. The National Climate Action Plan sets a target of retrofitting 36,500 local authority homes to a building energy rating of B2 or equivalent by 2030.
The commission said retrofit activity increased in 2025, but not quickly enough to meet that objective based on the current rate of delivery. It warned that a substantial acceleration would be needed during the remaining period.
Local authorities completed 2,671 retrofits nationwide in 2025, compared with 2,634 in 2024. The increase was modest, reinforcing the commission’s concern about the scale of the challenge facing the social housing energy retrofit programme.
Which areas completed the most retrofits?
Dublin City recorded the highest number of upgrades for the third consecutive year, with 327 homes retrofitted. Cork County completed 208, while Donegal completed 200.
The lowest reported totals were in Mayo, with 11 homes, Westmeath, with 14, and Leitrim, with 16. The regional differences underline the uneven pace of delivery across the country.
Voids programme could create pressure on retrofits
The commission raised a further concern about the relationship between the new “voids programme” announced in 2026 and energy upgrades. The programme is intended to speed up the return of vacant social housing to tenants, but the report warned that it could negatively affect retrofit activity.
Local authorities may face difficult choices when preparing homes for reletting. Urgent repairs and basic refurbishment can compete for staff, funding and contractor capacity with deeper energy-efficiency works. The challenge is to bring empty properties back into use quickly without losing momentum on longer-term improvements.
Financial performance remains broadly positive
The report did not present a negative picture across every area of local government. It said financial governance and resource management remained critical, while financial indicators were broadly positive.
Commercial rates and home-loan collection rates have improved significantly over the past decade, according to the commission. Rent collection performance remained broadly stable, although considerable differences between authorities continued.
Waterford City and County reported a commercial rates collection rate of 100 per cent, followed by Fingal at 99.7 per cent. Meath and Monaghan each recorded 98 per cent. By comparison, Sligo stood at 78 per cent, while Leitrim and Donegal each recorded 81 per cent.
The commission said some local authorities continue to perform strongly on rent collection, while others report lower levels and have shown limited improvement over time.
What happens next for social housing?
The report points to two immediate priorities: increasing the number of homes added to local authority stock and speeding up the return of vacant units. At the same time, councils must increase retrofit delivery if the 2030 energy target is to remain achievable.
For households waiting for social housing, reletting times may be as important as the total number of homes owned by councils. A vacant property only contributes to available supply once necessary repairs, inspections and upgrades are complete.
The coming years will therefore require careful coordination between housing delivery, maintenance, retrofit funding and local authority staffing. The commission’s findings indicate that progress has been made, but that delivery remains uneven and the timetable is tightening.
Frequently asked questions
How many local authority social homes were there at the end of 2025?
Local authorities owned 158,772 social housing units at the end of 2025.
How much did additions to social housing stock fall?
The number of additional units added fell by 18.78 per cent compared with 2024.
How many social housing homes were vacant?
There were 3,866 vacant units at the end of 2025, down from 4,251 in 2024.
Is Ireland on course to meet its 2030 retrofit target?
The commission said the current pace of activity is not sufficient to meet the target of retrofitting 36,500 local authority homes to B2 or equivalent standard by 2030. Faster delivery will be required.
Why this matters
The latest report shows a mixed picture for Ireland’s social housing system. Vacancies have fallen to their lowest rate in a decade, but the number of new additions has declined and homes can still take months to return to tenants. Retrofit progress is also moving in the right direction, yet remains below the pace required for the 2030 ambition.
For readers tracking Breaking News Ireland, the central message is clear: improving housing supply will depend not only on building or acquiring more homes, but also on faster reletting, stronger local delivery and sustained investment in energy efficiency.
