Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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635. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to review an application for a person (details supplied) under the croí cónaithe scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61980/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022, provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant 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 €70,000.

The objective of the grant is to support the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties, bringing them back into use as homes. In order to qualify for the grant, the property must be vacant for two years or more at the time of application. Applicants cannot leave a property unreasonably and purposely vacant for the purpose of qualifying for the grant.

The Vacant Homes Unit in my Department offers support and guidance to local authorities in their administration of the scheme. While the Department issues guidance on the scheme, it has no direct role in deciding on individual applications. The grant is administered and managed by local authorities, who process and decide on applications and issue grant payments on completion of approved refurbishment works.

Where an application is not successful, the applicant can lodge an appeal with the local authority to whom the application was made. A senior local authority official who was not involved with the original decision will assess the appeal and contact the applicant with the outcome.

If, after having an appeal carried out on a grant application and the applicant is unhappy with the response received from the Local Authority, the applicant can bring a complaint to the Ombudsman. More details on the role of the Ombudsman, can be found at ombudsman.ie/en/

The Office of the Ombudsman provides a free, impartial and independent dispute resolution service and can be contacted using an online complaint form on their website www.ombudsman.ie or they can be contacted on phone number 01 639 5600.

Information on the scheme and conditions is available for applicants on my Department's website at Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.