Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 October 2025
594. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is evaluating to promote the conversion of older buildings for housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54811/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government is committed to tackling vacancy and dereliction. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in January 2023, set out the range of measures and actions being pursued to return vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes.
In March, I published the 2025 Progress Report which shows the significant progress that is being made and it is available on my Department's website at the following link: gov - Vacant Homes Action Plan 2023-2026 (www.gov.ie).
(www.gov.ie/en/publication/df86c-vacant-homes-action-plan-2023-2026/).
One of the key measures in the Action Plan supporting the refurbishment of older, vacant and derelict buildings for housing is the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. The grant can provide up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for use as homes and up to €70,000 where the property is derelict.
The grant has been, and continues to be, very successful in bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use and making the refurbishment of these properties an affordable option for buyers across the country.
To the end of June 2025, over 13,700 grant applications have been received across the country, almost 10,000 have been approved and over 2,800 grants have been paid, amounting to over €155 million.
My Department publishes data on the grant on its website on a quarterly basis, providing breakdowns by local authority. This data can be accessed at the following link: [Vacancy grant statistics].
[Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant statistics]
A comprehensive review of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was undertaken in 2024. The review considered all aspects of the scheme. The findings of the review have been considered in the context of the development of the new Housing Plan.
There are a wide range of other schemes in place which also support the refurbishment and conversion of older buildings for housing.
The Repair and Leasing Scheme provides an interest free loan of up to €80,000 per home delivered, to support the refurbishment and conversion of vacant buildings for use as social housing. The scheme is increasingly used to renovate vacant commercial properties, including 'Above the Shop' spaces.
Planning exemptions are available for the conversion of certain vacant, commercial properties into residential use and these are proving successful in bringing new life into cities and towns around the country. In 2024 over 290 exemption notifications were received for over 700 homes, the highest yearly figure since their introduction.
My Department also supports local authorities, with funding available under the Social Housing Investment Programme to acquire and redevelop vacant and derelict buildings, from single properties to more extensive buildings, for use as social housing.
Through the Living City Initiative, a tax relief can be claimed for money spent on refurbishing or converting old residential or commercial buildings in 'Special Regeneration Areas'. The scheme aims to bring life back into heart of these areas by encouraging people to maintain and convert suitable properties.
In Budget 2026, Minister Donohoe announced enhancements to the Living City Initiative scheme and also its extension to 2030, reinforcing the Government’s commitment to tackling dereliction and supporting regeneration in our cities and regional centres. The scheme will be extended to the five regional centres under the National Planning Framework - Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny and Sligo. The process of extending the schemes to these areas will begin over the coming period with the assistance of the relevant Local Authorities in mapping the Special Regeneration Area for each of the five centres.
A new Derelict Property Tax was also announced in the Budget. This tax will replace the Derelict Sites Levy, and it will be collected by the Revenue Commissioners. These measures will support the many existing measures introduced to tackle vacancy and dereliction.
Last year, my Department published a revised "Bringing Back Homes" guidance manual. The manual provides property owners, members of the public, local authorities and those involved in the construction industry with clear and detailed guidance to facilitate the reuse of old and vacant buildings – bringing them back as homes.
The new Programme for Government, "Securing Ireland’s Future", includes a range of commitments to continue our work in tackling vacancy and dereliction and supporting town centre living. These measures are currently being considered in the context of the forthcoming National Housing Plan.
I firmly believe that the commitment Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions taken will continue to play a vital role in delivering homes across the country.
