Govt allocates €5m to address safety on 'ghost estates'

Up to €5m in funding has been announced today for councils to address safety issues in Ireland's ghost estates.

It comes as a government report identifies 350 dangerous or "developer abandoned" housing estates in need of urgent work.

The Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments was set up last November and was ordered to come up with plans for the "completion or resolution" of the ghost estates.

Its draft report recommends immediate action to deal with 348 developments, which have an occupancy level of less than 50%.

There are concerns that issues like uncovered manholes, open pits and potentially unstable buildings could pose a public safety hazard.

Cork County Council has the highest number of problem estates, but the most pronounced issues are identified in the midlands and border areas.

The funding breaks down to about €14,000 per estate, which will be targetted at dealing with the most immediate problems.