Only 18 of the 31 local authorities each succeeded in establishing a full-time vacant home officer by the end-of-June deadline imposed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD.

The 13 councils not to have completed the process by the deadline date were Cork County, Donegal, Carlow, Galway City, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Sligo, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.

The establishment of such posts is seen as essential in the Government’s plan to make vacant properties available in the coming months to help accommodate the huge upsurge in refugees and asylum seekers who have arrived in the State this year.

With the State struggling to find even emergency accommodation for refugees and people seeking international protection, a special meeting of the Cabinet in late April decided that repurposing of properties would help meet the challenge.

Some 89 of the vacant buildings (former religious or education properties, hotels and hospitals) were identified as capable of offering accommodation to up to 5,355 people by International Protection Accommodation Services.

In addition to those seeking accommodation in Ireland after fleeing the war in Ukraine, there has also been an unprecedented surge in the number of people from other countries looking for international protection.