Vacant property refurbishment grant a 'fantastic opportunity'

A local senator is encouraging people to make use of the Croí Conaithe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant which includes cities and remote rural areas.

Senator Aidan Davitt says that the expanded Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant "provides a fantastic opportunity for even more people - from Westmeath and every part of the country - to refurbish vacant properties with the aim of converting them into their homes, enabling them to live in cities, towns, villages and rural areas".

“This scheme provides real practical help. It helps address vacancy through sustainable reuse of buildings, it helps revitalise our communities and, most importantly, it helps more people to own their own home.”

The expanded grant now includes eligible vacant properties in both cities and more remote rural areas (in addition to those in towns and villages, which have been eligible since July). The scheme’s expansion will help bring vacant and derelict properties back into residential use and ensure the existing housing stock is fully used.

Under the Croí Conaithe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant €30,000 is available to homebuyers to refurbish a home which they will live in. Where a property is derelict, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 will be available, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €50,000. The grants can also be combined with the SEAI Better Energy Home Scheme that covers works of up to €26,750.