More than 3,000 formerly derelict or vacant homes were brought back into use during 2025, figures show, as the Government attempts to drive up housing stock levels to address the housing crisis.
In 2022, the government introduced the vacant property refurbishment grant to provide payments of up to €50,000 if a person intends to renovate a vacant house or building to turn into a permanent home or a rental property.
If the refurbishment costs exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is also available.
Data from the Department of Housing shows that 3,066 grants were paid out in 2025 — a 127% increase from the 1,349 recorded in 2024.
Overall, since the launch of the scheme in July 2022 up to December 2025, some 16,607 applications have been received, 12,096 approved, and 4,514 grants paid out on completion of works to a total of almost €247m.
Donegal recorded the highest number of applications over the lifetime of the scheme at 1,430, followed by Cork county at 1,355, and Dublin at 1,007.
Donegal had 1,085 approved and 396 grants paid out, worth a combined total estimated cost of €22.4m. Cork county had 1,065 approvals and 316 grants paid out with a combined total cost of €17.3m.
There were a further 582 applications made in Cork City, of which 416 were approved and 158 paid out, valued at €8.5m.
Housing minister James Browne said the grant is “tackling” 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”.
The Government is behind on its housing target of 300,000 new homes by the year 2030. Data shows that housing commencements fell to 16,412 last year.
According to the most recent data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), in the first nine months of 2025, there were 24,325 homes completed. To reach targets, the Government will have to add 50,000 homes annually.
