Over 3,000 vacant Irish homes brought back into use with government grants of up to €70,000
More than 3,000 previously empty homes were brought back into use in 2025 through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.According to statistics published today by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the programme continues to build traction. Alongside this, the speed of implementation has also risen substantially, with the number of grant payments in 2025 more than doubling compared to 2024.In total last year, 3,066 grants were issued compared to 1,349 in 2024. This marks a rise of 127%.Under the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, you can receive a payment of up to €70,000 to turn a vacant or derelict house or former commercial building into your permanent home or a rental property. The grants are paid upon the completion of the works and the submission of the required paperwork demonstrating the work approved has been delivered.Overall, since the scheme's introduction in July 2022, up to December 2025, 16,607 applications have been submitted. 12,096 of these were authorised and 4,514 grants distributed upon completion of works to a total of almost €247m.Dublin ranked third overall for the most applications and approvals.Donegal County Council has the highest number of applications (1,430), approvals (1,065) and payments (316), followed by Cork County Council (1,355 applications, 1,065 approvals, 316 payments) and Dublin City Council (1,007 applications, 811 approvals and 317 payments).Welcoming the new statistics, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD said that the grant is tackling the issue of vacant buildings "head on."“This grant is tackling the scourge of dereliction and vacancy head-on, and the surge in vacancy grant payments underlines its growing success in bringing homes back into use across our villages, towns and cities. As more and more applications are approved, I fully anticipate this trend to continue and more previously disused properties will become permanent homes for people.“In a time of housing shortage, leaving properties vacant is simply unacceptable. That’s why, last month alongside extending the grant until 2030, I also introduced an enhanced support package of up to €140,000 to transform vacant ‘above shop’ spaces into homes- revitalising communities and creating sustainable housing. The extended support package will be made available at the end of Q1 2026.“Tackling vacancy and dereliction is not just a priority, it’s a necessity to ensure existing properties are put to use for housing.”Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content.We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
