Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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132. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he would consider amending the vacant home grant from homes built up to, and including, the year 2013 and authorising an extension of five years (from 2008) under the present scheme (details supplied). [30107/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Pathway 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 €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 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 objective of the grant scheme is to support the carrying out of refurbishment works to bring existing vacant and derelict properties back into use.

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 a comprehensive review of the schemes under it, including the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, would be undertaken by mid 2024. The review has been completed and is under consideration.

The progress report on the Vacant Homes Action Plan 2023-2023, published in April 2024 provides an update on the progress being made by local authorities in addressing housing estates categorised as "unfinished" to minimise vacancy levels. The link to the report is contained here;