O’Shea Welcomes Plans to Retrofit 230 Social Homes in Cork County During 2026

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West John Paul O’Shea has welcomed the allocation of more than €9.2 million to Cork County Council under the Government’s 2026 Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme, which will support the upgrading of 230 social homes across the county this year.

The funding package includes €8.74 million for retrofit works and a further €460,000 in project management funding, making Cork County one of the largest beneficiaries of the programme nationally.

Deputy O’Shea said the investment will deliver tangible benefits for tenants while helping to modernise Cork’s social housing stock.

“This funding will make a real difference to hundreds of families across Cork County. Retrofitting homes improves comfort, reduces energy bills and ensures that tenants are living in warmer, healthier and more energy-efficient homes.”

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has allocated €140 million nationally under the 2026 programme to support the retrofit of approximately 3,500 local authority homes. This represents an increase of more than 50% on the €90 million available in both 2024 and 2025.

Since the programme was launched in 2021, more than 11,000 local authority homes have been retrofitted nationwide. The Government is targeting the retrofit of 36,500 local authority homes by 2030.

Deputy O’Shea said the significant increase in funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to improving housing standards while helping households manage energy costs.

“At a time when many families remain concerned about household expenses, improving the energy efficiency of social housing is one of the most effective ways we can reduce costs for tenants while also improving quality of life.”

He added that the programme is delivering benefits beyond the homes themselves.

“These projects support local employment, create opportunities for contractors and tradespeople, and contribute to our national climate targets. It is a win for tenants, a win for local communities and a win for the environment.”

Deputy O’Shea said he looks forward to seeing the programme continue to deliver improvements for social housing tenants throughout Cork County in the years ahead.

“The allocation of over €9.2 million to Cork County is a strong vote of confidence in the programme and in the work being carried out locally. I am committed to ensuring that Cork continues to benefit from investments that improve housing quality and support sustainable communities.”