Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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536. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of croí cónaithe vacant property refurbishment grants that have been approved; the reason that an application (details supplied) has taken so long to be approved by Cavan County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40464/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.

From 1 May 2023, 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, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore, subject to appropriate planning permission being in place.

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.

My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, which can be accessed at the following link: Vacancy grant statistics.

In order for applications to be processed in a timely manner, all required information should be submitted as part of the application. Where this does not happen, the local authority must revert to the applicant seeking further information in order to reach a decision.

Any inquires in respect of individual grant applications should be directed to the relevant local authority.