Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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154. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the date the Croí Cónaithe scheme will become available for persons in rural areas with a population of under 400; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47618/22]

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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159. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the vacant property refurbishment grant scheme will be extended to derelict rural properties in order that those who live in rural areas may benefit from the grant, as well as those who reside in towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47662/22]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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166. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when local authorities will be provided with the detail of the Croí Cónaithe fund in order to approve applications for towns and villages; the details of the extension to rural areas; the additional funding to be provided to local authorities for this extension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47778/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 154, 159 and 166 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 and provide new accommodation in those areas. The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is a key initiative which underpins these policy objectives set out in Pathway Four of Housing for All.

Schemes under the Fund, which are 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, also funded by 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. 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 a key objective of Pathway 4 of Housing for All is to ensure that the houses we already have are being fully used, I have decided to extend the eligibility for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant to vacant properties in both our cities and rural areas.

Both schemes under the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund 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 (VHO) in each local authority in the coming weeks to update the details of the Grant, with a view to the expanded scheme being available in November.

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