By the end of June this year, there were over 3,500 vacant council homes around Ireland, newly-released figures have revealed – even as over 95,000 people are on housing waiting lists nationwide.
The figures were released to Aontú leader Peadar Toibín under a Freedom of Information Act request, with the Meath West TD dubbing the situation “incredible.”
“It is incredible that in the jaws of a national emergency in terms of housing, that well over 3,000 local authority homes are lying empty tonight,” Toibín told RTÉ News.
“There are enough empty local authority homes in the State to house well over half the number of people who are homeless.”
Toibín went on to lay culpability for the situation at the feet of the State, as well as Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien and his department, calling the situation “unforgivable.”
“The State is failing significantly in terms of renting and turning around these empty council houses,” he said.
“It is incredible that the State is the biggest culprit. The biggest hoarder in terms of empty homes in Ireland, and I think it’s unforgivable.
“It is correct that local government is at fault here. There’s no doubt about it but it is also true that, you know, the housing policy, the housing provision and the objective of making sure that every family has a home really comes underneath the responsibility of the Minister for Housing and the Department of Housing.”
According to Toibín, many council homes take as long as eight months to re-let – a length of time he claims is too long.
Responding to Toibín’s comments, RTÉ reported that the Department of Housing said that “the turnaround time for social homes in some counties has improved significantly” in recent years.
“Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock, which will inevitably fluctuate over time as tenancy surrender and re-letting is an ongoing process.
“The reasons for vacancy can also vary, and may include units which are marked for demolition and major regeneration or earmarked for sale, for example.
“The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority.”
Reportedly, since 2020, over 6,300 vacant social homes have been brought back into “productive use” by the State.
The development comes a month after it was reported that Dublin house prices are now falling faster than they have in nearly three years – thought house prices outside the capital are still on the rise.
Dublin house prices now falling at sharpest rate in almost three years https://t.co/dbn0eLujAx
— The Irish Times (@IrishTimes) August 17, 2023
Moreover, last month the numbers of recorded homeless individuals within the State reached a new record high of 12,847.
Number of homeless hits another new record high https://t.co/OUj2bK5E6c
— breakingnews.ie (@breakingnewsie) August 25, 2023