Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 July 2026
342. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications for the vacant above the shop grant since the scheme opened; the number of grants approved; the number of grants drawn down; and to provide a breakdown for this information by local authority area. [50635/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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. In order to qualify for the grant, the property must be vacant for two years or more at the time of application.
Under the new Housing Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, a commitment was given to provide additional support for the refurbishment and conversion of above the shop vacant space for use as homes. The Government approved the introduction of a Vacant Above the Shop Grant with a package of up to €140,000 to be made available in cases where vacant above the shop space is being converted/refurbished for residential use and the commercial element is remaining. The additional grant amount for these properties recognises the complexities involved in bringing this space into use. The package includes an Expert Advice Grant of up to €5,000. The new Vacant Above the Shop Grant and Expert Advice Grant were launched on 1 April 2026, with applications and information on the Grants available from each local authority and at the following link: www.gov.ie/vacancy.
My Department publishes data on applications for the Grants 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 includes a breakdown of applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Derelict Property Top-up Grant for every quarter. Data on the Vacant Above the Shop Grant and the Expert Advice Grant will be available in the published data from Q2 2026 onwards and will be published in July 2026.
The Q1 2026 grant statistics were published on 24 April 2026. This data can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/vacant-property-refurbishment-grant-statistics/#2025.
