Cork County Council struggling to buy second-hand properties

An ever-growing population and a decrease in the amount of vacant homes for sale on the open market is making it more difficult for Cork County Council to buy secondhand properties to accommodate people on its housing waiting list.

A report released by council officials has shown the number of vacant houses and apartments in the county stood at 27,161 in 2011, but dropped to 23,852 by the end of last year — a decrease of almost 14%.

The population over the same period increased by nearly 17,000 to 416,547 and projections show it will continue to rise for the foreseeable future.