A Sinn Féin councillor says central government cutbacks to the tenant-in-situ scheme leaves some families in Kerry at risk of homelessness.
Under the scheme, the local authority buys a property from a private landlord if the owner decides to sell. This allows the existing tenant to continue to live there.
However, Cllr Deirdre Ferris says Kerry County Council and other local authorities can no longer apply for refunds to works carried out to private housing they've bought under the scheme.
Jacinta Walsh lives in private rented accommodation in Tralee – in a property which the council had committed to buying.
She says due to cutbacks by the Department of Housing, the council is not in a position to do this.
In response Kerry County Council says it doesn’t comment on individual cases but it’s examining the implications of the revised eligibility criteria and examining alternative support options for those affected.
The council says the changes to criteria affects a small number of proposed acquisitions.
