Cabinet to unveil €1bn housing plan targeting building costs and vacant homes

A new €1 billion housing plan due to be unveiled by the Cabinet on Tuesday will aim to cut the cost of building homes, renovate more vacant properties and see a larger number of cost-rental apartments rolled out.

Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien will outline plans to extend the grants available to people purchasing vacant homes to now include any property built before 2007.

The plan will also allow buyers to purchase vacant homes with the intention of renovating and then renting out the property.

Also on the agenda is a scheme to provide up to €150,000 to developers or the Land Development Agency to build cost-rental homes.

Ministers will also consider Irish Water connection fee refunds, while Taoiseach Leo Varadkar pledged that the various measures will bring down the cost of housing.