A new report by a Cork homeless charity is highlighting how other countries take a more 'rigorous approach' to tackling vacant homes.
Figures from the CSO show there were 130,000 houses and almost 33,000 apartments and flats recorded as vacant on census night last year.
The figure includes 17,000 vacant homes in the city and county, almost 5,000 of which were also recorded as vacant in the 2016 census.
The national vacancy rate has fallen from 12 per cent in 2006, to 7.7 per cent in 2022, however Cork Simon Community says the vacant homes tax of 0.5 per cent is not enough of a deterrent.
Speaking to RedFM News, author 'Home Truths: Vacant Homes in Cork' report Sophie Johnston says Ireland needs to look at how Canada is addressing the problem:
"In Vancouver in Canada, for example, they introduced a 1% Empty Homes tax in 2017. And they incrementally increased it over the following three years to 3%. During that three year period, their rate of empty homes actually fell by 26%".
