Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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77. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the engagement she has had with her Department regarding the Croí Cónaithe scheme for owner-occupiers in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53712/22]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Minister to address the engagement between her Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in respect of the Croí Cónaithe scheme.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is very welcome that the scheme is being extended to rural communities. That was probably one of the few criticisms I had of the policy and it is good to see that the Minister and her colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage have responded to that and extended the scheme to rural communities. It is a great scheme that will provide incentives for people to bring those properties back into circulation.

I have a few questions regarding interaction with local authorities. How many indications have there been up to now? How many properties are involved? There is a condition whereby the State claws back up to 100% of the grant if the person who availed of it subsequently sells the property within five years. Who administers or is responsible for that clawback?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The scheme is a really good one. All present know from walking through rural towns and villages that there are derelict houses in them. A bit of encouragement would bring people back to living in the centre of towns and villages. It is welcome that the scheme has been extended to rural houses. I acknowledge that. The Minister for housing, Local Government and Heritage was committed to the scheme from day one. We had conversations about it and it is very welcome.

As regards our engagement with local authorities, we recently published Town Centre First, a major new policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into town centres. Town Centre First contains 33 unique actions which will give towns the tools and resources they need to become more viable and attractive places to visit, live, work and run a business. The policy is underpinned by multibillion euro investment spread across major Government schemes such as the RRDF, the urban regeneration and development fund, the Croí Cónaithe towns fund and the town and village scheme. For the first time, designated towns will gain their own dedicated town regeneration officers, who will be crucial in driving future development.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The latter point relates to Question No. 80, which I tabled. I will get onto that in a minute. As regards the administration of the scheme, if a person avails of the grant and subsequently sells the property and there is a clawback by the State, is that done through Revenue or via the local authority? What is the vehicle to ensure that clawback is in place and the scheme is not taken advantage of? There is a significant budget for the scheme, but are there targets in terms of the number of applicants it is anticipated will avail of it? Are there set targets per annum for the coming years or is it just operating on a first come, first served basis?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The scheme has been rolled out through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to the local authorities, which are administering it at a local level. I am not sure of the position with regard to the clawback. It is right that there should be a clawback. I agree with that principle in the context of a person selling a house. The idea is that the person will live in the town. People living in town centres will bring vibrancy to them. I cannot answer the Deputy's question on that aspect, but I will find out exactly what happens or who is responsible for administering the clawback clause.

The Croí Cónaithe scheme is just one part of what we are doing in rural Ireland. Under my Department, there is the town and village renewal scheme. We have expanded that scheme and funding can be sought for bigger projects up to a maximum of €500,000. In that context, we have done a lot of work in repurposing old buildings such as old Garda stations or train stations. Several different projects that have come forward through consultations with communities - asking people what they need in their area and how we can help them to realise their vision.