Cork councils spend €40m to bring over 800 vacant properties back to use

Cork-based anti-dereliction campaigner Jude Sherry said a few tweaks to the process, such as staged payments, would improve the situation

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), there are more than 8,500 vacant homes across Cork City and county. File picture: iStock

Cork’s county and city councils have between them paid out more than €40m since 2022 to bring more than 800 vacant properties back to 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 2022.

Initially, it 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 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.

Since the launch, Cork’s two local authorities have approved between them 1,663 grant applications, paying out cumulatively more than €40m, resulting in 811 homes being brought back into use.

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Since July 2022, Cork County Council has approved 1,152 applications and grant funding totalling €27.5m 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 the properties 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.”