According to Catherine Murphy, TD, council houses are being left vacant for up to six or eight months despite being in good condition.

Meanwhile, there are 43,684 people on the waiting list nationwide.

"Some local authorities take an unacceptably long time to re-let, or repair and re-let vacant houses, instead choosing to fit steel shutters and allow long periods of vacancy, resulting in the impression that there is an abundance of social housing available, " she said. "The taxpayer pays for rent assistance, shutters and extra repairs resulting from long periods of vacancy."

Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Dick Roche, said the matter lies with each council. "It is the responsibility of the local authorities concerned to ensure that their houses are re-let to households on their waiting lists as quickly as possible after they are vacated, " he said.

However, Murphy said that local authorities need to employ staff contractors dedicated to dealing with the hand-over of vacant houses. "The current system just doesn't work and we need action now."