Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2023
32. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications received under the vacant homes scheme in each county to date; the number approved and the number where the grant has been paid; the total cost of the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54176/23]
View answerIn July 2022 I launched the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund, which supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes.
In May 2023, I announced a revised grant rate of up to a maximum of €50,000 available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and also for properties which will be made available for rent, including the conversion of a property which has not previously been used as residential.Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a further maximum top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register. This brings the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
The cost of the Grant to date is €4.3 million. This includes recoupment to local authorities for grants paid and administrative support to local authorities.
My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, see gov.ie - Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant statistics (www.gov.ie)
