Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Earlier this year, my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, launched the Croí Cónaithe fund. The fund is initially focused on supporting the refurbishment of vacant homes in regional towns and villages. It is a key funding support under the town centre first policy that was jointly developed by my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The publication of Town Centre First was a key deliverable under Our Rural Future.

In July, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage launched the vacant property refurbishment grant, funded by the Croí Cónaithe towns fund. The grant will benefit those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence.

In addition, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage launched the ready-to-build scheme in September. This scheme will make serviced sites in towns and villages available to potential individual purchasers to build their homes. These sites will be available at a discount on the market value of the site for the building of a property for occupation as the principal private residence of the purchaser. This scheme is also funded under the Croí Cónaithe towns fund.

Given that pathway 4 of Housing for All is intended to support reuse of existing buildings and the synergy with the Government's Our Rural Future policy, I am pleased to say that it has been decided to extend the vacant property refurbishment grant to vacant properties in cities and rural areas to ensure we are using our existing housing stock to the fullest extent possible. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage expects to have that extension to cities and rural properties in place by November.

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