Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2024
353. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide grants to refurbish houses which are not vacant, for the purposes of the vacant homes grant, but which require substantial repair in order to be habitable and energy efficient, given that in many cases the current SEAI better homes grant are not sufficient to cover the costs of this refurbishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2668/24]
View answerThe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. 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.
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. The property must be vacant for two years or more at the time of grant application and proof of vacancy is required to support grant applications.
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 is underway and is expected to be completed by mid-2024.
Homeowners and private landlords can apply for home energy upgrades under the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland . The schemes allows the carrying out of different upgrades over time and to suit budgets. Further information can be found on the SEAI website linked Individual Energy Upgrade Grants | Home Energy Grants | SEAI .
