Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
870. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount each local authority has received from the croí cónaithe towns fund, by month and by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37761/23]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. In July 2022, as part of the Croí Cónaithe towns fund the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.
From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore, subject to appropriate planning permission being in place.
Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including 2007, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas.
My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, which can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: gov.ie - Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant statistics (www.gov.ie)
It is anticipated that grants paid out to applicants will start to be recouped by local authorities from my Department in Quarter 4 of this year.
In September 2022, I launched the Ready to Build Scheme, also funded by the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. Under the Ready to Build Scheme, local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available to potential individual purchasers to build their homes. These sites will be available at a discount on the market value of the site for the building of a property for occupation as the principal private residence of the purchaser.
In acknowledgement of the administrative overheads local authorities experience in managing the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Ready to Build Scheme, my Department is providing initial support to each local authority in respect of processing applications. This support is linked to the number of applications received with €60,000 provided where up to 50 applications have been received; an additional €60,000 where 51 to 100 applications are received and an additional €60,000 where over 100 applications are received by the local authority. A breakdown of funding made to each local authority to date is outlined below:
|
Local Authority |
Funding Claimed |
|
Carlow County Council |
€60,000.00 |
|
Cavan County Council |
€60,000.00 |
|
Clare County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Cork City Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Cork County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
DLR County Council |
€60,000.00 |
|
Donegal County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Dublin City Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Fingal County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Galway City Council |
€60,000.00 |
|
Galway County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Kerry County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Kildare County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Laois County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Limerick County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Longford County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Louth County Council |
€60,000.00 |
|
Mayo County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Meath County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Offaly County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Sligo County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
€60,000.00 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Waterford County Council |
€60,000.00 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
€120,000.00 |
|
Wexford County Council |
€180,000.00 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
€60,000.00 |
|
Total |
€3,900,000.00 |
When the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund was launched, a commitment was given that the schemes funded by it would be kept under ongoing review. A comprehensive review and evaluation of the schemes under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund will be undertaken by mid-2024
