{
  "id": 15669962,
  "title": "Turnkey acquisitions for social housing to be phased out",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/turnkey-acquisitions-for-social-housing-to-be-phased-out",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T23:01:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTE News",
    "slug": "rte-news",
    "url": "https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/1020/1596031-cabinet-meeting/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The purchase of turnkey properties for social housing is set to be phased out in the coming years, according to plans presented to the Cabinet. Housing Minister James Browne announced that funding for these acquisitions by local authorities and housing bodies will cease late next year. This policy shift aims to encourage local authorities to take a more active role in constructing social housing. Housing bodies and the Land Development Agency will also play a significant role in this transition. Minister Browne has previously criticized councils for their reliance on buying homes from the private market, arguing that such purchases limit councils' ability to influence the design of the homes. The new financing rules will not take effect immediately, with the final funding deadline for turnkey properties set for December next year. Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan will address the Government's apology to the Stack family, who suffered a tragic loss during the Troubles. Brian Stack, a prison officer during the 1980s, was killed by IRA violence in 1983 but did not die until 1984. No one has been held accountable for his death, and the Provisional IRA admitted responsibility in 2013. In other updates, Minister for Higher Education James Lawless will present a memo on the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, an all-island research project at Trinity College Dublin. The project, launched in 2022, aims to digitally reconstruct 750 years of Irish history, with over 500,000 records recovered and 150,000 missing names identified. Funding for the project will continue at €625,000 annually until 2030. Lastly, Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary will update the Cabinet on the inaugural Disability Work and Skills Week, featuring 30 events across 17 counties, including job fairs and sessions focused on disability employment, training, and inclusion. A media campaign will be launched in November to raise awareness among employers about the importance of disability inclusion.",
  "summary": "The purchase of new turnkey properties for social housing is set to be phased out under plans going before the Cabinet this morning.",
  "key_points": [
    "Turnkey social housing acquisitions to be phased out next year",
    "Housing Minister James Browne aims to increase local authority involvement",
    "Funding deadline for turnkey properties set for December 2024"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}