Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2024
357. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if local authorities have been issued with guidelines to enable them to assess croí cónaithe applications under the local authority mortgage scheme. [4259/24]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports 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.
On 14 November 2023, I brought a proposal to Cabinet to broaden the Local Authority Home Loan, namely to make finance available to purchase and/or renovate derelict or non-habitable properties for the first time, which was agreed. This is evidence of the Government’s continued focus on bringing vacant and derelict homes back into use, a key objective of Housing for All.
Applicants purchasing properties that qualify for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant (VPRG) may also be able to avail of financing under the Local Authority Home Loan to purchase and/or renovate their non-habitable property and bring it back into use. Regulations are currently being prepared to give effect to this decision.
My Department, working closely with local authorities and other stakeholders, is presently finalising the extension of the Local Authority Home Loan with the intention it will be ready for qualifying VPRG applicants in Q2 of this year.
