Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
645. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a house constructed in 2009 and not completed or lived in would be considered eligible for the vacant property grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6026/26]
View answer652. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average time between an application received and a grant issued for the vacant property refurbishment grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6140/26]
View answer653. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications for the vacant property refurbishment grants received, broken down by local authority, by month, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6141/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 645, 652 and 653 together.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, funded under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund, provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, 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. In order to qualify for the grant, the property must be vacant for two years or more at the time of application.
The objective of the grant is to support the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties, bringing them back into use as homes. Works must relate to the refurbishment of an existing dwelling in keeping with the objectives of the scheme.
My Department issues guidance on the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. The grant is administered and managed by local authorities, who process and decide on applications and issue grant payments on completion of approved refurbishment works.
Vacant Homes Officers (VHOs) are in place in all local authorities and play a vital role in supporting Government measures to target vacancy at a local level. VHOs are available to provide advice, support and guidance to the public in relation to the schemes in place to tackle vacancy. A full list of VHOs and their contact details can be found here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/f59b3-vacant-homes-officer-contacts/. Queries regarding eligibility for the grant are a matter for the Vacant Homes Officer in the relevant local authority area.
The average time taken across local authorities from the date of receipt of an application for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant to the date a grant issues, for approved applications, is 18 months. This timeline includes the time taken by local authorities to process applications, make a decision on applications and issue an approval letter and for approved works on the property to be completed by the applicant. The average time for applications to be processed and a decision made by local authorities over the last 12 months is 10 weeks which includes the carrying out of a visit to the property.
My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, which includes the number of applications, approvals and the total number and value of grants paid per local authority. This data also includes a breakdown of applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Derelict Property Top-up Grant for every quarter. A month by month breakdown of applications received per local authority is not readily available. The Q4 2025 grant statistics will be published shortly. This data can be accessed at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/vacant-property-refurbishment-grant-statistics/#2025[]
