As the housing waiting list in Laois swells to 1,500, it has been revealed that close to 3,000 remain idle in the county.
At the monthly meeting of Laois County Council it was confirmed that 2,853 properties were classed as vacant in the last census. This was a reduction from the figure of 3,277 in the previous census, five years earlier.
Cllr Tom Mulhall, who sought an update on the amount of vacant properties in the county, said “at least the numbers are coming down”.
“I would like to see more people being made aware of the repair to lease scheme,” which he said might be attractive to some.
“On a daily basis I am getting a call about vacant houses and people asking if there is any chance they could get them,” he said.
Head of finance Gerry Murphy said they have very few vacant social houses.
He said some of the houses included in the figure could be derelict, or partly derelict. Other could be idle because they are in testate – the owner died without making a will.
Mr Murphy said work is ongoing to buy up extra homes, particularly in Portlaoise.
“We are active, we are trying to finalise a number of acquisitions, of individual houses and of Hepburn Court. I hope in September to have more positive news,” Mr Murphy said.
The meeting heard four new houses have been allocated to the council in the former ghost estate of Fruithill Manor in Graiguecullen, bringing to 19 new homes for Laois tenants there this year.
Cllr Ben Brennan hoped that these homes will be allocated to local people.
Worrying
“It is very worrying that we are back up to 1,500,” Cllr Willie Aird said. He said this does not include hundreds of people on the housing assistance payment (HAP), a scheme which replaces Rent Supplement for those with a long term housing need.
“We have to go back to basics,” he said, and provide local authority housing schemes.
“It is a shameless situation,” he said which “beggars belief”.
Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald agreed that the figure is “alarming”.
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