Wexford County Council is considering a proposal to bulldoze so called 'ghost estates'.

A Council official recently indicated that the authority is hoping that a request to destroy one Gorey estate, Coill na Giuise, will be approved by the Department of the Environment.

The Department has not yet approved any such request.

The 'ghost estate' has been empty since building stopped almost three years ago.

The Department of the Environment has not yet allowed the local authority to demolish unfinished houses over fears the department could be dragged in to a "legal minefield".

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In the first instance, the department refused the council permission to demolish the estate but Wexford is digging in its heels and has asked environment officials to reconsider.

Meanwhile the BBC has reported that the first demolition of one of the Republic of Ireland's 'ghost estates' appears to have already taken place.

It has been reported that three almost complete bungalows in the village of Ballingore, Westmeath, have been knocked down.

Westmeath County Council is believed to have knocked down the development in Ballingore.

Local Newspaper, Mullingar Advertiser, claims that had the development been completed it would have doubled the size of the tiny village.

Half built, unoccupied housing is one of the most obvious signs of the State’s financial crisis.

There are currently approximately 9,000 houses that are nearly complete nationwide, while 9,000 more are partially complete.

33,000 houses are completed but remain vacant, the amount of 'ghost estate' in Ireland was estimated by the government last year at 2,800.

(LB/BMcC)