Seven vacant houses in Kilcarrig and five vacant in Kiltalown

THE presence of vacant properties that have not come back into housing stock “points to something being badly broken”, according to a councillor.

Cllr Kay Keane (PBP) for Tallaght South noted that there are seven vacant houses in Kilcarrig in Fettercairn and five in Kiltalown, Jobstown.

Speaking at South Dublin County Council’s annual meeting on Friday, Cllr Keane said: “Housing is not in a crisis, rather, it’s an emergency.

“Yet, South Dublin County Council are seen as somewhat reluctant to CPO (compulsorily purchase) derelict properties and vacant sites.

“When you see seven vacant properties in one estate and five vacant properties in my estate alone, it points to something being broken – badly broken.

“Whether it’s a lack of political will, the lack of acknowledging the numbers in emergency accommodation, it’s evident there’s no real initiatives to bring these vacant properties back into the council’s housing stock.

“It’s shameful, it’s unexplainable, yet this is the reality.”

As reported in The Echo last month, Tallaght South had the largest number of vacant council houses and the largest amount of such houses ready to be re-let in South Dublin.

As of last May, Tallaght South had 32 vacant houses, with 16 of those ready to be re-let.

The Echo contacted South Dublin County Council for comment about the vacant houses in Kilcarrig and Kiltalown.

A council spokesperson said: “South Dublin County Council manages 10,000 rented homes, of which approximately one per cent are vacant at any one time.

“It is a key objective for our Housing Department to refurbish and re-let vacant social homes with minimal delay and in line with best asset management practice.

“There are currently 79 properties vacant across the county of which 32 are ready and in the process of being allocated to new tenants, 31 properties are being refurbished and 16 are at survey stage.

“There is an ongoing focus across our Housing Department on the importance of minimising re-let times and ensuring that any vacant homes in our housing stock are returned to occupation as soon as possible.

“We remain committed to further improving our turnaround times and efficiencies associated with the re-let of properties.”