Carrigaline has the lowest level of commercial vacant buildings among Cork towns while Youghal has the highest, according to research from Ireland’s only complete database of commercial and residential buildings.

Cladding has been found in some 262 multi-storey residential and non-residential buildings in Ireland.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has defended the need to invest €4m of taxpayer money into restoring the buildings that house the two government departments that oversee the country’s finances.

More than 250 derelict or ‘at risk of dereliction’ sites and buildings have been identified in Cork City following a major survey.