Senator highlights ‘scandal’ of vacant council houses in Cork city and county

A EUROPEAN election candidate said it is “scandalous” there are so many vacant council houses across Cork city and county while some 7,500 households are on the housing list.

Speaking in the Seanad, Sinn Féin senator and candidate for Ireland South, Paul Gavan, said there were over 500 vacant council houses between Cork city and Carrigaline, which is in the Cork County Council local authority area.

“On my many visits to Cork in recent weeks, I was genuinely shocked by the number of vacant houses, particularly in Cork city.

“There are over 500 right now in areas like Mayfield, Farranree, the Glen, Togher, and Carrigaline,” said Mr Gavan.

“Many of the people I spoke to, along with my colleague, Deputy Gould, told me these houses have been vacant for months and, in some cases, years,” he said, referring to Thomas Gould, Cork North-Central Sinn Féin TD.

Citing the most recent National Oversight and Audit Commission report, Mr Gavan said there were currently 7,500 people on the housing list in Cork city, while it takes Cork City Council on average 58 weeks to turn around a vacant council home.

“This is an insult to so many of our young people, particularly young parents stuck on the housing list, who can do nothing but watch the condition of perfectly good homes deteriorate by the day.”

Sinn Féin clarified to The Echo that the figure of 500 vacant council houses in Cork city and Carrigaline referred to the 371 vacant council houses in Cork city as instanced in the Cork City council chief executive’s management report for February 2024. Further, the party said, according to the most recent available data, there had been 209 new homes “substantially complete” but not let in Cork city in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Cork County Council did not respond to a query about how many vacant council house were currently in Carrigaline.

Mr Gavan said it was “scandalous” that council houses in Cork city can be vacant for over a year.

“All this is happening under a government that until recently had three senior ministers from Cork in Cabinet. How has this been allowed to happen on their watch?

“It is further evidence of the failure of the Government on housing and that Housing for All is not delivering for the people of Cork.

Cork City Council was asked for comment.