Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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537. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the number of vacant homes is related to the ongoing backlog in the Probate Office; the data in regard to the number of homes affected in this way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50815/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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As part of their remit under Census 2016, the Census enumerators employed by the Central Statistics Office were mandated to ascertain the number of vacant residential homes in their assigned areas on the Census night of 24 April 2016 and, where possible, to ascertain the reasons for such dwellings being vacant and unoccupied.

Of the 183,312 dwellings identified as vacant on the Census night (excluding holiday homes), reasons for vacancy were captured and summarised in respect of 57,246 properties, with the enumerators being unable to provide information on the reasons for vacancy in respect of the remaining 124,595 dwellings.

In relation to the 57,246 vacant dwellings for which reasons for vacancy were indicated by enumerators, the most common reasons indicated were that the dwelling was for sale (10,948), vacant between lettings (10,350), vacant on a long-term basis (10,056 with no further information provided), and the property owner was deceased (9,193). Of the vacant properties where the enumerators indicated that the reason for vacancy was due to the property owner being deceased, it was not possible to ascertain if the property was the subject of any processing delays in the Probate Office.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the levels of vacancy recorded as part of Census 2016 have significantly reduced in the interim, particularly in urban areas where many habitable homes and buildings have since been occupied.