THE cost of repairing a city council house has risen to 30,000 as one councillor hit out at tenants who leave their homes in a “shocking state.”
Fianna Fáil councillor Seán Martin said a minority of people feel they are entitled to a council home and then can do what they want with it.
“People think a house from the city council is something they can do what they want with and after wrecking it they are entitled to another one.”
His comments come as new figures show that more than 500 council houses are vacant in the city.
Speaking in City Hall this week, councillors called for funding to repair the homes and bring them back into use as it would save the country millions in rent allowance payments while also giving the council more income and reducing anti-social behaviour. Latest figures from the Housing Department show that there are 516 empty properties in Cork, 220 on the southside and 296 on the northside.
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