Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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146. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if grant-aid is available for the purposes of purchasing and renovating vacant properties which will not be occupied by the purchaser (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48813/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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While grant-aid is not provided for the purposes of purchasing and renovating properties which will not be occupied by the purchaser, the Repair and Leasing Scheme does provide an upfront loan, to a maximum of €60,000 (including VAT) per unit, to owners of vacant properties which require work to bring the units up to the required standard for rental properties. 

Under the Repair and Leasing Scheme, the local authority, or approved housing body, pays for the repairs upfront and the home is taken into social housing stock by way of lease for a period of between 5 and 25 years. The cost of repairs is offset against reduced lease payments to the property owner and therefore has a neutral cost to the Exchequer.