Approximately 3,600 available council properties are lying vacant across Ireland, according to a report from the Irish Independent.

Labour Housing Spokesperson for Housing, Jan O'Sullivan has hit out at some local councils and the Department of housing over the report.

Deputy O'Sullivan labelled the situation as a "major mismanagement of resources in the middle of an extraordinary housing crisis".

She said: "The fact that there are 3,600 homes in public ownership lying vacant is totally unacceptable. Minister Murphy and the Department as a whole have to take control of this situation. While public homes are in the ownership of local councils, it is the Department who have to hold them to account. 

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"We were told that there were Vacant Homes Officers going to be appointed in every Council who are tasked with identifying the vacant private property in their rates. That seems more than a little bit hypocritical when Councils clearly need to be dedicated vacant property officers for their own public housing lists.

"While the gap between the best and worst performing councils is large, no council should be allowed leave property vacant for any prolonged period of time, while there are nearly 10,000 people homeless including close to 4,000 children. While I was Minister for Housing, we started to bring homes back in to use through our Void Scheme which had a clear line of accountability. We knew when each Council received money to renovate a property that it was followed up with to ensure those houses were delivered. 

She added: "It seems as though Ministers Murphy and English have allowed accountability to fall by the wayside. I cannot imagine how upsetting and frustrating it must feel for a family starting another week in emergency accommodation, possibly having been there for two years already, to read today that there are vacant council houses in their area lying idle."

(CM/MH)