Local councillor calls for reinstatement of Tenant In Situ scheme

Tullamore-based councillor Aoife Masterson has called on the government to reinstate the Tenant In Situ scheme.

It comes as Offaly County County Council passed her motion on Tuesday, March 25, calling on the Minister for Housing James Browne to properly fund the scheme.

The Tenant In Situ scheme allows the council to buy properties for tenants who face a no-fault eviction notice, allowing the family to remain in the property as tenants of the council.

"The governments failure to release the funds for this year means vulnerable families across Offaly are now facing the prospect of homelessness," said Cllr Masterson.

"Many of these families have already called me in distress, worried sick what the future holds for them."

Masterson added that Offaly County Council ask the government "to provide local authorities with the maximum amount of flexibility and adequate funding to support tenants at risk of homelessness" and "to stop expecting people in Offaly to continue to pay the price for this Governments failure to address the housing crisis".

"On foot of this motion, Offaly County Council will now write to the Minister for Housing urging him not to make more adults and children homelessness by approving any restrictions to the operation of the Tenant In Situ scheme, or reductions in funding to this vital homeless prevention measure," she concluded.