Households relying on social accommodation in Fingal are facing escalating housing insecurity as eviction orders rise sharply in the weeks before Christmas, despite dozens of residential units remaining unused within the local authority area.
The issue was raised at a recent Fingal County Council meeting following the publication of an internal review examining vacant apartments and housing allocations across parts of Dublin 15.
Elected representatives warned that families are being pushed toward homelessness while habitable properties linked to public housing provision are not yet occupied.
Solidarity councillor John Burtchaell said the contrast between rising displacement and empty homes highlights the severity of the housing emergency.
Addressing the council, he outlined cases involving families who are now days away from losing their accommodation.
One household, he said, is scheduled to leave their home on December 20, placing them at immediate risk during the winter period.
Another family was recently removed from a property they had lived in for more than 15 years.
According to the councillor, that household had attempted to remain in the property through existing tenant protection measures.
He said an application was made for the local authority to purchase the home under the Tenant in Situ initiative, but the option was no longer available due to funding constraints.
The family pursued every available route, including engagement with the Residential Tenancies Board and the legal system.
Despite those efforts, a final order to vacate was upheld.
Mr Burtchaell told councillors that no emergency accommodation could be secured when the eviction took place.
He said enforcement occurred early in the morning, involving several officials.
One individual, he said, was left outside the property without adequate clothing.
The councillor described the experience as an illustration of how housing pressures are impacting families on a personal and immediate level.
During the same meeting, attention turned to findings within Fingal County Council’s audit report.
The document showed that 162 apartments in Dublin 15, which had not been sold, were allocated to approved housing bodies.
Mr Burtchaell questioned how many of those properties remain unused at a time when demand for social housing continues to outstrip supply.
He asked council officials to clarify the current occupancy status of the units.
Council members were also told that notices requiring tenants to leave their homes have increased significantly in recent months.
One case referenced involved a court-directed eviction scheduled for just days before Christmas.
Responding to the concerns, Fingal County we Council’s Director of Housing and Community Development, Paul Carroll, said the vacant properties are part of an active management process.
He explained that the council has begun a pilot programme to assess and address structural issues within certain apartment blocks under its ownership.
As part of that process, some dwellings are being held vacant to allow residents to be temporarily relocated during repair works.
Mr Carroll said maintaining available units is necessary to ensure essential remediation can proceed safely.
He acknowledged that the matter of unused properties has been raised repeatedly at council meetings in recent years.
According to Mr Carroll, a long-term plan is in place to return all affected homes to social and cost-rental use once assessments are complete.
Mr Burtchaell, however, maintained that the scale of vacancy remains unjustifiable.
He said more than 40 units are still empty despite significant housing need across the county.
Figures presented to councillors indicated that approximately 120 apartments are currently managed through a private management arrangement, leaving a substantial number unavailable.
Councillors sought clarity on when the remaining properties would become accessible to tenants.
Mr Carroll said timelines would depend on the outcome of ongoing inspections and the projected cost of required works.
He added that the pilot scheme is still under way and further decisions will follow once its findings are finalised.
The discussion underscored growing concern among councillors that delays in bringing homes back into use are deepening housing insecurity for vulnerable families.
As Christmas approaches, representatives warned that the gap between housing demand and delivery is placing additional strain on those already at risk of homelessness.
