Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 89 and 92 together.

Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes. A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent.

Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000. The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including 2007, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is available to properties which have been vacant for 2 years.

The capital allocation for 2023 for the Croí Cónaithe Fund (Cities and Towns) is €50 million.

Since the launch of the Grant some 7,570 applications have been received, with over 4,390 approved and with 275 grants paid out as works are completed. At the outset, the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund aimed to deliver 2,000 homes by 2025. This has since been increased to 4,000.

My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, see gov.ie - Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant statistics (www.gov.ie), which includes breakdowns per local authority.