There has been much talk in recent times about growing housing lists due to the recession, unemployment and the fact that local authorities no longer build big housing estates as they did in the past.
A new assessment of housing needs is currently under way but at the last count there were just under 2,300 applications for housing in Waterford city and county, about 1,500 in the city.
The waiting list in Galway city and county is 4,800 and Cork city and county has 15,000 seeking homes with about 8,000 of those in the city.
However, one has to delve behind the stark figures to appreciate that the real situation is not like the bad old days when many applicants were waiting for houses whilst living in poor quality accommodation and unfit dwellings.
The situation in Waterford city is that the vast majority of people on the housing are living in decent accommodation while waiting to get their own homes.