Cork among worst performers as social housing inspections fall far behind Government targets

Just 15,317 social homes have been surveyed nationwide despite ambitious plans to inspect every property

The inspection rate has been particularly bad in Cork, where just 185 (1.6%) of the 11,850 homes have been audited by the local authority since 2024, according to data from the Department of Housing.

The Government's pledge to have the whole country's social housing stock inspected by 2030 is set to fail with less than 10% of the properties checked in the last two years.

The inspection rate has been particularly bad in Cork, where just 185 (1.6%) of the 11,850 homes have been audited by the local authority since 2024, according to data from the Department of Housing.

Audits of social housing stock were first announced in 2022, getting underway two years later. Since then, just 15,317 have been inspected. That is just 9.5% of the 162,019 social houses in the country.

However, housing minister James Browne still says he expects all local authorities to complete the surveys by 2030. His Cabinet colleague and former housing minister, Darragh O'Brien, also said that the surveys should only take four to five years when the inspections began in 2024.

Asked about the low level of council house inspections in Cork City, a spokesperson for the local authority said: “Cork City Council is presently seeking tenders for the provision of stock condition survey work. 

"It is expected there will be a large increase in the number of properties surveyed over the coming months.”

Dublin City Council has inspected 4.4% of its total housing stock, or 1,162 of the 26,681 properties in the council area.

The worst-performing councils are both Mayo and Donegal, where no inspections have taken place over the last year.

Progress 'really disappointing'

The chief executive of the Simon Communities of Ireland, Ber Grogan, described the slow progress of the audits as “really disappointing”.

“Local authorities should have sufficient resources, financial and personnel, for carrying out maintenance,” Ms Grogan said.

“The figures are interesting, but it would be good to see how many maintenance requests are in too.

"If inspections are slow or not happening at all, then local authorities don't have the full picture of the needs and issues in social housing"

Ms Grogan added that there needs to be further development of social housing across the country, saying it must be of the “highest standards”.

Information on the audit was provided to Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould via a parliamentary question.

“At this rate, the Government will completely miss its 2030 target,” Mr Gould said. 

“What we need is a real plan from Government to address legacy maintenance issues that have escalated because local authority budgets were slashed during austerity.

“People are living in mouldy, damp homes. Stock audits are important, but they will only confirm this.” 

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed the number of people living in emergency accommodation across the State reached yet another record high last month.

Among the 17,548 people without a home were 5,604 children and 2,707 families. That was 31 more people than the previous month.

The monthly figures published by the Department of Housing do not account for people sleeping rough or those staying in hospitals, asylum centres, or domestic violence shelters.

• Tadgh McNally is a Political Reporter with the Irish Examiner.