Kerry County Council has 171 vacant properties, which represents almost 4% (3.9%) of its total housing stock.
The figures were revealed following a motion by Independent councillor Maura Healy-Rae at the monthly meeting of Kerry County Council.
Of the 171 vacant houses in the council’s housing stock, 58 are vacant more than two years.
39 are vacant between one and two years and 74 are lying idle for less than 12-months.
The council says 159 of these houses require work; 74 require significant works that are not currently programmed and it would cost over €2.7 million to carry out these works.
Others properties are suffering from fire damage or are the subject of a legal issue like titles or boundaries.
39 of the houses are in the voids programme and eight are part of the buy and renew and acquired properties.
Meanwhile, 12 of these houses are deemed to be derelict and are potential disposal sites.
Kerry County Council says it’s committed to ensuring any property in its ownership which becomes vacant, is re-tenanted as soon as possible, subject to available finance.
Cllr Maura Healy-Rae says given the housing crisis, you’d think there’d be no vacant houses; she also referenced the length it takes to reallocate a house after a tenant dies.
Director of Services with the council Martin O’Donoghue says there’ll always be vacant stock, and says when a tenant passes away it’s an emotive issue and the council takes a reasonable approach, giving the family time to clear out their personal belongings.
Mr O’Donoghue says houses also need amendments before they can be reallocated.
