Despite a rapidly growing housing waiting list, a total of 18 locally authority owned properties were vacant within the Killarney Municipal District area last month, it has been confirmed.
Cllr Maura Healy-Rae had asked officials for an up-to-date progress report on the matter and she asked them to state how long the properties had been vacant and to state the reasons why.
Officials said of the 18 unoccupied council owned houses, 13 were vacant for over two years, three are unoccupied for between one and two years and two are empty for less than 12 months.
Five houses were vacant because of the 2022 voids programme or the energy efficiency retrofit programme, four houses were tied up because of legal issues or matters relating to title boundaries and four are vacant due to insurance claims.
Two properties require significant works and are being assessed for procurement or tender and three properties are linked to the buy and renew and acquired properties programme with one of those having works ongoing and two more waiting department sanction for refurbishment works.
“Kerry County Council is committed to ensuring that any property in our ownership, which becomes vacant, is re-tenanted as soon as possible, subject to available funding,” a spokesperson said.
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