The state housing agency hopes to buy 200 homes for social housing by the end of the year.

The move is part of a 70 million euro plan to provide around 1,000 homes over the next two years. 

This plan is one part in the rebuilding Ireland housing action plan designed to address the housing crisis.
By the end of next month people will have moved into the first 30 to 40 properties.

Key to making the plan work is a quick turnaround, so once the sale is completed local authorities and housing agencies will lease them short term, before eventually buying the housing agency out.

 To avoid competing with individual buyers the agency will bulk buy the properties, so they will target banks of distressed properties rather than single houses.