More than 2,600 council homes sit empty across the State

Local authorities have more than 2,600 vacant homes across the State and cuts in refurbishment funds of €6.15 million, according to Freedom of Information figures released to Fianna Fáil.

The party's environment spokesman Barry Cowen said the figures, obtained in a series of information requests to local authorities, showed 2,612 vacant properties and funding cuts totalling €6,152,122.

He said that as of August there were 424 vacant housing units in Cork city alone.

Other authorities with a large number of vacant units included Cork county which had 268, Dublin city 258, Kerry 136, Roscommon 113, Sligo 121 and Wexford 90.

Mr Cowen said it was “sickening to think that there are a massive number of vacant housing units owned by local authorities sitting idle.

“This is at a time when social housing waiting lists are at historic highs and emergency homeless shelters are running out of space to accommodate the escalating crisis.”

Hitting out at Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly, Mr Cowen said no joined-up plan existed to deal with the housing crisis, despite the Minister's attempts to reassure the public.

But a Department of Environment spokesman said the Government had provided significant resources for boarded up properties.

Last year more than 2,500 were returned to productive use and this year’s programme was for at least 1,000 based on what local authorities said they needed.

Mr Cowen said the figures he obtained “rubbish Minister Kelly’s claim that local authorities are meeting local housing needs”.

Mr Cowen added that the Minister made a “disastrous” decision to cut refurbishment funding available to local authorities by a “staggering €6.15 million” in 2015.

He said Dublin City Council would spend €6 million this year providing emergency hotel accommodation.

The department spokesman said a number of authorities had since indicated they could refurbish more than previously anticipated “and this is being considered by the department at the moment. Additional resources will be provided.” The spokesman said local authorities were “generally responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of their own properties and they also apply their own resources”.

Total vacant properties 2015 and difference in refurbishment funding 2014 to 2015

Carlow 12 - €197,111

Cavan 68 - €148,467

Clare 58 -€613,829

Cork City 424 €785,622

Cork County 268 -€132,485

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown 28 -€533,015

Donegal 159 -€1,785,314

Dublin City 258 -€1,213

Fingal 37 -€970,780

Galway City 59 -€256,050

Galway County 165 -€460,263

Kerry 136 €186,292

Kildare 39 €13,537

Kilkenny 16 -€289,430

Laois 4 -€213,143

Leitrim 74 -€66,072

Limerick -€530,469

Longford 85 -€30,900

Louth 57 €111,995

Mayo 145 -€89,008

Meath Awaiting -€282,501

Monaghan 28 €204,003

Offaly 40 -€192,425

Roscommon 113 -€64,409

Sligo 121 -€84,548

South Dublin 36 -€106,408

Tipperary 121 €18,576

Waterford 71 -€139,428

Westmeath Awaiting -€95,368

Wexford 90 -€97,307

Wicklow 21 -€92,204

Total 2612 -€6,152,122