Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 March 2005
403 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of vacant houses which are in the possession of each of the local authorities in County Mayo; the locations of these houses; and the reason the houses are not being allocated. [6506/05]
Amharc ar fhreagra
The draft action plan on social and affordable housing for 2004-08 for County Mayo details the numbers, but not the location, of vacant local authority houses in the four authorities in the county. It is the responsibility of the local authorities concerned to ensure that these houses are relet to households on their waiting lists as quickly as possible after they are vacated. Some houses may require refurbishment before they are relet and this is a matter for individual authorities.
My Department, provides capital funding, subject to conditions, to local authorities for the refurbishment of houses that have remained vacant for periods longer than six months and require major refurbishment. Local authorities are required to meet from their own resources the first €10,000 of the cost of such refurbishment in respect of each dwelling. Ballina Town Council has recently applied for funding under this initiative.
