Owners of vacant homes have been urged to come forward to help house homeless families in the run-up to Christmas.
Director of Services at Mayo County Council, Tom Gilligan made a direct appeal to those own a vacant property which could be re-used to make contact.
He revealed that over 3,200 vacant homes across the country have been registered at vacanthomes.ie, an initiative of Mayo County Council.
The majority of the vacant properties are in Leinster with 48 percent with 36 percent in Munster, 13 percent in Connacht and and three percent in Ulster.
Mr Gilligan said: "Christmas is very much a time for families and togetherness, it’s a time for giving and helping others. Bringing a vacant home back into use can change people’s lives for the better.
"It provides a fresh start for those families experiencing homelessness and a way to kick off the New Year with hope, security and a sense of belonging."
He added that some of these homes would only require minor works in order to make them habitable again and added that it was a faster solution than new builds.
Mr Gilligan said: "We can determine that there are significant properties with potential to be turned around within a relatively short period of time.
"Although impossible to tell exactly what is needed until an inspection is made of the inside of the building from our own information and statistics it appears that more vacant homes could be brought back into use with significantly less spend and within a quicker time frame than a new build."
Those who own vacant homes can avail of government assistance to make their property suitable for dwelling again, Mr Gilligan said.
He said: "Several government schemes are available, under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, to assist property owners in getting their unit back into use.
"The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) is available where a property requires repairs to bring it up to required standard for rented properties.
"The RLS will pay for the repairs upfront in return for the property being made available to be used as social housing for a period of at least five years under either a direct lease or Rental Availability Arrangement with the local authority.
"The maximum funding available is €40,000, inclusive of VAT. Where the property is a former bedsit being brought back into line with the Standards for Rented Houses, funding of up to €50,000, inclusive of VAT, is available.
"Another scheme, the Long-Term Leasing Initiative, allows owners of vacant properties that are in good condition to lease their properties to local authorities."
