More than 3,000 offers of social housing properties were turned down over the past two years, with figures showing the rate of refusal has increased in some of the country’s largest local authorities, writes Noel Baker.

More than 3,000 offers of social housing properties were turned down over the past two years, with figures showing the rate of refusal has increased in some of the country’s largest local authorities.

A new online pilot scheme that allows people on a council’s waiting list to express interest in vacant local authority housing has proved a great success.

The head of housing in Cork city has been criticised after suggesting that if people on the housing list can book a holiday online, they should be able to engage with an online council house letting system.

A new online system to advertise vacant homes to 7,356 people on Cork County Council’s housing waiting list is expected to be launched in the summer.