Michael Ring
Question:475 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of persons who are on the housing list in Ballina, County Mayo. [25948/01]
Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.
The results of the most recent statutory assessment of housing needs undertaken by local authorities at the end of March 1999 indicated a total of 221 households in need of local authority housing in Ballina. The next statutory assessment of housing needs is due to be undertaken by local authorities at the end of March 2002.
Michael Ring
Question:476 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of local authority houses which are unoccupied in Ballina, County Mayo. [25949/01]
Michael Ring
Question:477 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of local authority houses which are vacant in County Mayo; the number of local authority houses which are vacant nationwide; and the reason these houses are not being filled. [25950/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 476 and 477 together.
The management and maintenance of their rented dwellings, including the control of vacant dwellings, is a matter for local authorities. The most recent comprehensive figures available to my Department indicate that, at 31 December 1999, there were 2,988 local authority dwellings vacant nationwide. Information from the Mayo local authorities indicates that at end of December 2000, there were 54 local authority dwellings vacant in Mayo of which 16 were in Ballina.
A substantial proportion of vacancies are in dwellings which have been detenanted by the local authority prior to the carrying out of major redevelopment, regeneration or refurbishment work. In addition, vacancies occur where dwellings require renovations/improvement to bring them up to an acceptable standard before reletting. In the case of Ballina, I understand that the majority of the vacancies are planned vacancies pending consideration of the possible transfer of a number of houses to a voluntary housing organisation.
I would encourage local authorities to ensure that once a dwelling becomes vacant it is relet as quickly as possible to a household on the waiting list.