Dereliction

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#Dereliction

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>The historic Boole House on Grenville Place, once the lodgings of the famous mathematician, George Boole was removed from the Derelict Sites Register in 2017 following the completion of stabilisation works by the council. File picture</p>

munster

Historic Cork building still empty after council sold it to UCC a decade ago at a loss of €360k

UCC says all options for George Boole House are being considered, from development to disposal. No decision has been made at this point

<p>The council operates a commercial rates vacancy allowance relief of 40%, whereby if a premises is vacant, the owner receives a discount on the annual rates all businesses must pay the council. File picture: Larry Cummins</p>

munster

Cork City Council writes off €15.5m in commercial rates due to vacant buildings

<p>A derelict house near Skibbereen. The largest number of properties currently being assessed are in Skibbereen, Schull and Drimoleague, with five in each area. File picture</p>

munster

Council crackdown may add 36 West Cork properties to Derelict Sites Register

'No free pass for State agencies or departments on derelict properties', housing minister says

politics

'No free pass for State agencies or departments on derelict properties', housing minister says

Three vacant homes pit Church against State in Blackrock dereliction row

commercial

Three vacant homes pit Church against State in Blackrock dereliction row

Typical UK terraced housing street derelict

politics

Revenue will not collect existing derelict property levies under new laws

Councillors urge Government to give proceeds from derelict properties tax to local authorities

Councillors urge Government to give proceeds from derelict properties tax to local authorities

The new tax will initially apply to properties in urban areas with populations of 4,000 or more before being rolled out to towns with populations of 2,000 or more

Tue, 16 Jun, 2026

A man uses the Airbnb smartphone app while stood in a tall building overlooking a busy city street (Editorial use only)

Government to crack down on Airbnb as ministers target 29,000 short-term lets

Cabinet to consider stricter Airbnb rules, while ministers also approve anti-SLAPP legislation and housing investment

Tue, 16 Jun, 2026

Tánaiste Simon Harris

'Frustrated' Simon Harris announces new derelict sites tax to be administered by Revenue

The latest estimates indicate there were about 19,438 residential derelict properties across the State at the end of 2025

Sun, 14 Jun, 2026

Kerry writes off €655,000 in 'unenforceable' derelict site levies

Kerry writes off €655,000 in 'unenforceable' derelict site levies

Kerry County Council had to remove all the sites from its derelict sites register and write off unpaid levies of €655k after 'various inaccuracies' were found in the files

Wed, 20 May, 2026

Council starts clearing derelict Kyrl’s St site for redevelopment

Council starts clearing derelict Kyrl’s St site for redevelopment

Nearly 600 Cork city properties have been returned to use since 2023. A record 301 long-term vacant or derelict homes were returned to use in 2025 — significantly up on the 57 in 2023 and 231 in 2024

Wed, 06 May, 2026

Dirty empty dark corridor in abandoned building, doors, light in the end, perspective, way to freedom

Clare council to acquire 20 derelict properties in efforts to increase housing supply

The council has begun the compulsory acquisition of the properties

Thu, 23 Apr, 2026

More derelict site levies written off than paid as Cork City Council waives €3.7m

More derelict site levies written off than paid as Cork City Council waives €3.7m

From 2016 to 2025, almost €12m in levies was invoiced by the council, across 651 sites and of these, just €3.25m, has been paid by the owners

Thu, 16 Apr, 2026

Cork has highest number of vacant homes in the country, with more than 8,500 lying empty

Cork has highest number of vacant homes in the country, with more than 8,500 lying empty

CSO said an estimated 70,149 homes in Ireland were vacant over the 12-month period to the end of 2024, with Cork having almost one in every eight vacant dwellings across the country

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

Cork council decision to waive third of derelict site levy on former Magdalene laundry 'a disgrace'

Cork council decision to waive third of derelict site levy on former Magdalene laundry 'a disgrace'

Owners of Good Shepherd convent site in Sunday’s Well had accrued €823,943 in outstanding levies but Cork City Council accepted payment of €500,000

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

Cork City Council did not levy derelict site tax on former tax office site for 20 years

Cork City Council did not levy derelict site tax on former tax office site for 20 years

Councillors question why long-vacant Sullivan’s Quay site avoided derelict levy as council points to alternative land tax

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Builder Fitting Insulation Boards Into Roof Of New Home

Over 3,000 vacant homes brought back into use during 2025

16,607 applications have been received since 2022. Of them, 12,096 refurbishments have been approved and 4,514 grants paid out

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Vacant property grants: Aid will be extended to 2030 despite Coalition row about caps

Vacant property grants: Aid will be extended to 2030 despite Coalition row about caps

Cabinet to consider new plan after Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil resolve dispute about limits on the value of eligible properties

Mon, 15 Dec, 2025

Cork council reassigns staff to deal with demand for grants to do up vacant, derelict buildings

Cork council reassigns staff to deal with demand for grants to do up vacant, derelict buildings

Approximately 1,450 people have applied so far for the grants in the county and 282 of them have been approved with a total payout of €15.4m

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

Minister's 'war' on vacancy and dereliction is missing timeframe and crucial policy measures

Minister's 'war' on vacancy and dereliction is missing timeframe and crucial policy measures

The Government's latest housing plan contains all the right soundbites, but no detail or timeframe, write Jude Sherry and Frank O'Connor of #DerelictIreland

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025

Typical UK terraced housing street derelict

11,000 vacant and derelict properties 'have been identified for compulsory purchase'

TDs and senators ask Oireachtas housing committee if there is 'too much carrot and too little stick' in reversing dereliction and vacancy

Tue, 21 Oct, 2025

Government to look at league tables to show how county councils deal with vacancy and dereliction

Government to look at league tables to show how county councils deal with vacancy and dereliction

Sources said housing minister James Browne had 'fired the warning shot for people sitting on properties and not bringing them back into use'

Tue, 21 Oct, 2025

Housing Committee to hear that just over a quarter of approved vacant property grants are issued

Housing Committee to hear that just over a quarter of approved vacant property grants are issued

Also, derelict housing campaigner Dr Frank O’Connor is set to tell the committee that dereliction amounts to 'a social crime'

Tue, 21 Oct, 2025

Councils ‘too slow’ to take action on derelict sites

Councils ‘too slow’ to take action on derelict sites

Junior minister warns local authorities that 'inconsistency' in tackling vacancy and dereliction is 'undermining national efforts'

Mon, 20 Oct, 2025

We're going to war on dereliction — but not yet

We're going to war on dereliction — but not yet

A small but radical transfer of responsibility might give the derelict property tax a real impact, but it's taking too long, write Jude Sherry and Frank O'Connor of #DerelictIreland

Wed, 15 Oct, 2025

Cork City Council collects less than a third of derelict site levies in five years

Cork City Council collects less than a third of derelict site levies in five years

The council also does not know if they will still receive the money for derelict site levies, as these are to be collected by Revenue rather than local authorities from 2027

Mon, 13 Oct, 2025

One in seven business premises now vacant as commercial vacancy hits record high

One in seven business premises now vacant as commercial vacancy hits record high

Almost 31,000 commercial properties across Ireland now lie empty, with the west experiencing the highest rates of business vacancies

Thu, 25 Sep, 2025

The daily shame of Cork’s derelict homes is impossible to ignore

The daily shame of Cork’s derelict homes is impossible to ignore

A five-year study of 460 derelict Cork properties reveals 315 still idle, highlighting slow progress amid Ireland’s deepening housing crisis

Thu, 04 Sep, 2025

Ready to build their empire

Compulsory purchase order system to be reformed — eight years after overhaul was recommended

Existing laws predate the foundation of the State and are fragmented, outdated, and overly complex, says Fine Gael's James Geoghegan

Wed, 16 Jul, 2025

'It is not acceptable': Cork City Council criticised for leaving derelict buildings empty for years

'It is not acceptable': Cork City Council criticised for leaving derelict buildings empty for years

Council was criticised for acquiring some buildings several years ago and doing nothing with them

Tue, 10 Jun, 2025

Councillors erupt into war of words after former Cork lord mayor votes against social housing scheme

Councillors erupt into war of words after former Cork lord mayor votes against social housing scheme

'I’m sorry housing isn’t sexy enough for you to vote for it. That is not a reason to vote against housing,' Labour councillor Peter Horgan told Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy

Mon, 09 Jun, 2025

Blocked up terraced houses ready for demolition.

Plans to form derelict restoration and vacant shop grants in motion, says minister

It is understood that up to €100,000 will be made available to people seeking to renovate either shops or apartments above the shop under the plans housing minister James Brown will bring to Cabinet

Mon, 19 May, 2025

Cork City’s derelict buildings reveal true cost of housing inequality

Cork City’s derelict buildings reveal true cost of housing inequality

Dereliction crisis exposes deep-rooted inequality — but a growing movement is showing how community action can drive change

Mon, 21 Apr, 2025

100 railway buildings among hundreds of empty properties owned by the State

100 railway buildings among hundreds of empty properties owned by the State

CIÉ and OPW among state agencies sitting on empty properties, described as 'akin to exporting food in the middle of a famine'

Mon, 07 Apr, 2025

The housing crisis is solvable — if we just got on with it

The housing crisis is solvable — if we just got on with it

If all the local authorities were collecting €250,000 per year from levies, they’d be in a much better position to effectively implement programmes, writes Alan O'Neill

Wed, 02 Apr, 2025

Cork County Council failed to collect €362,000 in derelict site levies in 2023, new figures show

Cork County Council failed to collect €362,000 in derelict site levies in 2023, new figures show

'During 2023, invoices totalling just €28,000 were issued, with no amounts collected during the year, resulting in a year-end debtor of €362,000,' audit says

Wed, 26 Mar, 2025

Election 2024: Renting — A place to live is a basic need that profit alone will never deliver

Election 2024: Renting — A place to live is a basic need that profit alone will never deliver

My message to the next Dáil: An eviction ban, a rent freeze, and compulsory purchase orders would begin to address Ireland’s housing crisis, writes Emily Crowley

Listen | Tue, 26 Nov, 2024

Nearly 330 to receive €17m in grants to refurbish vacant and derelict homes in Cork City

Nearly 330 to receive €17m in grants to refurbish vacant and derelict homes in Cork City

Cork City Council will hold three information sessions to outline financial supports available and how to apply

Thu, 14 Nov, 2024

Young woman getting keys to new apartment from Real Estate Agent

Tenant asked residents' association if she was 'supposed to have sex with landlord'

Story was revealed by Social Democrats election candidate at the launch of the party's renters' charter

Wed, 13 Nov, 2024

Cork council says €890k security spend for vacant or derelict council houses 'is value for money'

Cork council says €890k security spend for vacant or derelict council houses 'is value for money'

Social Democrats councillor, Pádraig Rice, said 'the council has been too slow at turning around vacant council houses'

Wed, 16 Oct, 2024

Boarded up shop

Much dereliction in our towns and villages, but also glimmers of hope

Would ‘derelict housing swat teams’, like those in operation in the US, help speed up the process of purchasing houses and other buildings left vacant by absentee, or disinterested, property owners?

Thu, 19 Sep, 2024

Derelict home scheme payment delays driving builders away

Derelict home scheme payment delays driving builders away

They have also asked council officials to add more personnel to the team in County Hall which deals with applications to speed up their processing

Sun, 15 Sep, 2024

Michael Moynihan: Sketches of old Cork draw you a snapshot of a different city

S Michael Moynihan: Sketches of old Cork draw you a snapshot of a different city

Cork in the 1970s was a smaller, shabbier one maybe, but also a friendly and inquisitive city

Thu, 05 Sep, 2024

Ten closed garda stations on list of empty state-owned properties across Ireland

Ten closed garda stations on list of empty state-owned properties across Ireland

The stations are among around 50 around the country that have either been shut since 2001 or closed following a policing review more than a decade ago

Mon, 02 Sep, 2024

Knocknagree: The Cork village that has fought to survive

Knocknagree: The Cork village that has fought to survive

A Co Cork village that refused to die could be an example to others in rural areas hoping to reinvent themselves

Mon, 02 Sep, 2024

More than 100,000 properties in total listed as vacant and derelict

More than 100,000 properties in total listed as vacant and derelict

Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin has said that badly designed schemes introduced by the Government are to blame for 'very little' changing in terms of vacant and derelict homes

Mon, 12 Aug, 2024

Fresh call to use vacant hospital to house homeless people after two die in the Grand Canal

Fresh call to use vacant hospital to house homeless people after two die in the Grand Canal

Local councillor Dermot Lacey has proposed the HSE should make the nearby vacant Baggot Street Hospital available as accommodation

Sun, 07 Jul, 2024

Cork councillor in call for for Revenue to collect derelict site levy

Cork councillor in call for for Revenue to collect derelict site levy

According to the Department of Housing in May €20.4m in levies remained uncollected across all 32 local authorities.

Wed, 03 Jul, 2024

Michael Moynihan: Spruce-up to Cork’s main street is badly needed and long overdue

S Michael Moynihan: Spruce-up to Cork’s main street is badly needed and long overdue

When this columnist strolled the length of St Patrick’s Street this Monday there were at least fifteen vacant premises along the street

Thu, 20 Jun, 2024

Sarah Harte: A train to Youghal would help protect our cultural heritage

S Sarah Harte: A train to Youghal would help protect our cultural heritage

Why, when the town has patently got so much to offer, is it destined endlessly to be the bridesmaid to Kinsale?

Wed, 29 May, 2024