€200k announced for grant programme to revamp Cork's Patrick Street

Cork City Council has announced a new €200,000 fund to help revitalise Patrick Street and strengthen its visual appeal, providing grants to property owners to enhance building frontages.

The City Centre Façade Improvement Grant 2026 was agreed at the city council’s December meeting tonight, which also adopted the city centre action plan 2025-2030.

Both initiatives came through the council’s City Centre Development and Operations Directorate (CCDOD), which has been working on a number of initiatives, including the launch of the city centre wardens scheme and the introduction of an enhanced city centre street cleaning regime, since it was set up a year ago.

The plan and directorate are working separately from the Cork city taskforce proposed by the Government, which was promised in the programme for government but has experienced several delays. Fianna Fáil councillor Terry Shannon said that he was not in favour of the idea of a Government review of Cork city, saying: “I never was a huge fan of the taskforce — just give us the money, we don’t need a taskforce telling us how to run our city.”

Chief executive Valerie O’Sullivan introduced the new grant scheme alongside the wider action plan for the city centre at yesterday’s council meeting, saying that it was “the first time such a scheme has been brought forward”, and that the plans, which were improved unanimously, would help boost footfall.

The new funding scheme will open for applications early in the new year, with the owners of properties located between St Augustine’s Church at the southern end of the street, and Lavitt’s Quay/Merchant’s Quay at the northern end, eligible to apply.

It will have two key funding elements, the first being a painting grant scheme is designed to help improve building façades through painting and minor external works. Grant supports of up to €5,000, or 25% of the costs of the work (excluding VAT), whichever is lower, will be made available.

The second, a shopfront grant, is focused on helping to upgrade and restore shopfronts at street level and will encourage businesses to adopt traditional designs that enhance the historic streetscape. Grant support of up to €5,000, or 25% of costs (excluding VAT), whichever is lower, will be made available.

Social Democrats councillor Niamh O’Connor said she was “cautiously optimistic” about the plan, as “Cork city has needed love for a long time”, while Fine Gael’s Des Cahill added that his daughter always said that the city centre “was in need of a lick of paint”.

The initiative will encourage the use of traditional materials, the use of sensitive signage, and visually appealing façades that reflect Cork city’s unique identity.

Business owners may apply for funding under both funding elements for a single property, and applications will also be accepted where property owners are in receipt of other grant aid. The closing date for completed applications will be March 2026.