According to the latest census statistics, released at the end of March, Leitrim has the highest vacancy rate of housing units in the State, at 29.3 per cent. That's almost a third of the county's entire housing stock, the majority of it built since the rural-renewal tax-incentive scheme was introduced in 1999, with its cut-off date extended from 2002 to 2004. Counties Donegal and Kerry had the next emptiest housing stock, at 27 per cent and 24.8 per cent, respectively. While specific areas in Cavan, Roscommon and Sligo qualified for rural renewal, the whole of Leitrim and Longford were eligible for the scheme. To avail of the full tax relief, planning applications had to have been lodged with the local council by December 31st, 2004. There was a big take-up: in 2004, Leitrim County Council had 2,147 planning applications, 770 of which were lodged in December alone.
