Over 800 vacant Cork properties brought back into use by grants

Since 2022, Cork’s county and city councils have collectively paid out over €40m to bring more 801 vacant properties back into use, under the Government’s Croí Cónaithe scheme.

The Croí Cónaithe vacant property refurbishment grant scheme was introduced by the Department of Housing in July of 2022.

Initially, the scheme applied to eligible vacant properties located in towns and villages, but it was expanded in November 2022 to include cities and all rural areas.

A further significant expansion took effect in May 2023, when eligibility was extended to properties built up to, and including, 2007.

The scheme was also broadened to include properties intended for rental, while grant levels increased to €50,000 for a vacant property, with an additional derelict property top-up of up to €20,000, bringing the maximum available grant to €70,000.

Approved

Since the launch of the scheme, Cork’s two local authorities have approved between them 1,663 grant applications, paying out cumulatively €40.5m, resulting in 801 homes being brought back into use.

Since July 2022, Cork County Council has approved 1,152 applications and grant funding totalling €27.4m has been paid, resulting in 491 properties being brought back into use.

Over the same period, Cork City Council approved 511 applications, paying out €13m, with 320 homes returned to use.

Cork County Council issued grants to 43% of applicants, while the city council paid out on 63%.

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), there are more than 8,500 vacant homes across Cork city and county.

Cork-based anti-dereliction campaigner Jude Sherry said she welcomed the news of 801 coming back into use, but said more needed to be done.

“Given the ever-worsening housing emergency, we need to move far quicker,” she said.

“From feedback we have received from applicants, a few tweaks to the process would make a big difference, and one such improvement might include staged payments.

“We are also concerned that the grants might be incentivising property owners to leave the properties vacant for two years to access the funding.” 

Ms Sherry added that she was also concerned that some properties which have been refurbished utilising government grants are being used for short-term lets, in breach of the conditions around those schemes.