Almost €46m paid to landlords across Limerick amid housing crisis

COUNCIL paid almost €46m to private landlords in 2023 and 2024, new figures have revealed.

Like all other local authorities in the State, Limerick City and County Council would pay contributions to those renting rooms in homes to people on the housing waiting list.

There are two means-tested schemes which facilitate this - the Housing Assistance Payment (Hap), where the tenant would also contribute a portion of the rent, based on their income.

The other is the Rental Accommodation Scheme (Ras), where council pays the rent in its entirety to a landlord.

Figures released by the local authority to Independent councillor Ursula Gavan have revealed payments of €45.8m to landlords over two calendar years.

“I was blown away when I saw this figure. The amount of money is obscene. The amount of public houses which could have been built to take people off the housing waiting list, and yet it’s going into private hands,” Cllr Gavan said.

The data was provided by the council’s senior executive housing officer Mary Hayes.

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As for Hap, a total of €16,687,353 was paid out to landlords in 2,424 properties in 2023.

Last year, that figure was €15,945,063 for 2,060 properties.

In terms of Ras, €10,357,835.76 was paid to 354 landlords.

This related to 698 private tenancy agreements.

And in 2024, €9,894,047.88 was paid t0 285 landlords, relating to 621 private tenancy agreements.

Cllr Gavan says these figures should increase calls for the construction of more social housing.

“Privatising housing is exacerbating the problem. We just need to acknowledge the system is broken and try something different,” the City East member added. “Is there a willingness to solve this crisis, or is there not?”