Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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160. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the vacant property refurbishment grant will be made available for urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46586/22]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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164. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will ease the restrictions governing the Croí Cónaithe towns fund: vacant property refurbishment grant scheme to include all otherwise eligible properties, regardless of their location, in the context of a severe shortage of available accommodation in many areas of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46677/22]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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166. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the areas of County Galway with a population of fewer than 400 persons that are eligible for assistance under the Croí Cónaithe towns fund, vacant property refurbishment grant scheme; if any area within a certain distance of Galway city and other cities that are suffering a severe shortage of available accommodation will be included; and if he intends to extend the scheme to areas within city boundaries, previously signalled as a possibility. [46679/22]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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167. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) being advised they will be refused access to the Croí Cónaithe fund given that their location is very rural; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46682/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 160, 164, 166 and 167 together.

Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy to towns of all sizes around the country and new accommodation to both urban and rural areas. We want to see vacant homes, and indeed vacant commercial properties that could be converted, brought back into use and we are incentivising people to do that through the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund.

Schemes under the Fund, which is delivered by local authorities, will provide new choices for people to live in towns and villages in Ireland, through the provision of a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties and by providing serviced sites in towns and villages to people in order to build their own homes.

On the 14 July, I launched the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant as part of 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.

A grant of up to a maximum of €30,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence, including the conversion of a property which has not previously been used as residential. Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €30,000, a maximum top-up grant amount 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 €50,000.

On 21 September, I launched the Ready to Build Scheme as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. Under the Ready to Build Scheme, local authorities 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.

When the Fund was launched, I committed to ongoing review of the schemes under it and in particular I am pleased to see that the feedback on the Vacant Property Refurbishment Scheme to date has been overwhelmingly positive, with 169 applications submitted by the start of September.

Given that Pathway 4 of Housing for All is intended to support re-use of existing buildings and the synergy with the Government's Our Rural Future policy, I do see the sense in extending the eligibility for the scheme to vacant properties in both our cities and rural areas to ensure we are using our existing housing stock to the fullest extent possible. In that context, I am pleased to say that the Government has decided to extend the vacant property refurbishment scheme and I expect to have that extension to cities and rural properties in place by the end of October.

It will continue to be only for those who intend to occupy the property as their principal private residence. Officials in my Department will work with the Vacant Homes Officers in each local authority in the coming weeks to update the details of the Grant, with a view to the expanded scheme being available by the end of October.

Vacant Homes Officers in each local authority will be available to provide advice and information on the schemes and the application process.