Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 710: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authority housing units which, having been returned to the local authority, are boarded up; the average length of time within each local authority area that such housing units remain boarded up; the action he proposes to take in order to reduce the time such housing units spend boarded up, or to prevent them lying unoccupied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34667/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The detailed information sought in the Question is not held in my Department. Available information indicates that at 31 December 2005 there were almost 2,500 vacant local authority dwellings, exclusive of vacant dwellings which are the subject of planned refurbishment/remedial programmes.

It is the responsibility of the local authorities concerned to ensure that their houses are relet to households on their waiting lists as quickly as possible after they are vacated. Some houses may of course require some refurbishment before they are re-let and this is a matter for individual authorities.