New measures must be introduced to incentivise home owners to renovate vacant properties across Leitrim.
That's according to Councillor Enda McGloin who raised the issue at a meeting of Leitrim County Council yesterday.
According to preliminary census data almost 2,900 houses are empty and the Fine Gael representative believes a tax would encourage home-owners to renovate their idle buildings for sale or rent.
He called on the local authority to investigate the reason for such a large amount of empty homes and ways to address this.
In a statement, Leitrim County Council say a fulltime vacant homes officer has been appointed and they will carry out a number of inspections and surveys.
Speaking to Shannonside FM Councillor McGloin hopes to engage with the new officer to ease pressure on the county's housing stock
