Nearly 100 vacant Laois homes restored with over €5m in grants 

ALMOST 100 derelict or vacant houses in Laois have been restored in the past three years, at a cost of over €5m in government grants.

Latest figures show that 97 empty homes in the county were returned to active use, since the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant scheme was launched in July 2022.

A total of €5.31m was paid out to grant applicants in Laois, according to the figures published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Up to 30 September this year, there were 249 applications from Laois homeowners and 191 approvals. The standard grant is €50,000 and the maximum is €70,000.

Nationally, just over €200m was granted under the scheme during the same timeframe, returning 3,672 previously vacant or derelict homes to residential use.

Announcing the figures, housing minister James Browne said that vacant and derelict homes are ‘not only a blight on village and town communities but also a form of anti-social behaviour’.

He said: “It’s appalling to me personally - and I know it is just galling for people who live near them - to see sites in services areas, where councils are tending to roads and nearby amenities.

“It is unacceptable in a housing crisis and I will not be found wanting in tackling it. Disused properties not only represent missed opportunities to provide much-needed homes, but they also undermine the vibrancy and liveability of our town centres.” 

He added that new measures to tackle dereliction were introduced in the recent budget, including a Derelict Property Tax to be administered by the Revenue Commissioners, replacing the current Derelict Sites Levy.

A new video explaining the application process has been launched, which follows the journey of one grant recipient. There is also an interactive story map for all counties, featuring local authority-level data on grants issued and showcasing ‘before and after’ images of completed refurbishments.

The video and map are available on gov.ie/housing.