Vacant / Derelict Property Grant
Up to €50,000 to do up a vacant property, or up to €70,000 if it is derelict. On offshore islands those figures rise to €60,000 and €84,000. Converting a vacant or derelict commercial or public building into 2 or more homes gets a top-up on top of these figures, taking the total to €70,000-€90,000 (vacant) or €90,000-€110,000 (derelict), with its own application form.
Last checked July 2026
What it is
Also called Croí Cónaithe, which is the name the government campaigns under. Up to €50,000 to refurbish a vacant home, or up to €70,000 if it is confirmed derelict. Once your application is approved you have 18 months to complete the works, and the council can extend that at its discretion. TWO CONDITIONS CATCH NEARLY EVERYONE: the building must have been built before 2008, and it must have been vacant for at least two years when you apply. Agricultural buildings such as sheds and barns are NOT eligible, no matter what they are being turned into. Applications are from named owners only, never a company, and it covers rural areas as well as cities, towns and villages. For the derelict top-up you need the property on the Derelict Sites Register or an independent report confirming it is structurally unsound. Converting a whole former commercial or public building into homes pays more: €70,000 for two units, or €90,000 for three or more, rising to €90,000 and €110,000 if that building is derelict. Note there is a separate application form for the commercial conversion route. Apply to the local authority where the building is, and their vacant homes officer is the person to ask for.
Who can get it
- The property has been vacant for at least two years when you apply
- It was built before 2008
- You own it, you have a signed contract to buy it, or you can show you're actively negotiating to buy it (a local authority can give 'approval in principle')
- You will live in it as your home, or rent it out with a tenancy registered with the RTB
- You are a named individual applicant, this grant is not available to registered companies or developers
- The €20,000 derelict top-up (bringing it to €70,000) needs proof the property is structurally unsound or on the Derelict Sites Register.
- On offshore islands the amounts are 20% higher: up to €60,000 vacant and up to €84,000 derelict.
- Converting a vacant or derelict COMMERCIAL or public building into 2 or more homes gets an extra top-up: +€20,000 for 2 units, +€40,000 for 3 or more, taking the total to €70,000-€90,000 (vacant) or €90,000-€110,000 (derelict). This needs its own separate application form, and a separate Expert Advice Grant of up to €5,000 is available beforehand for professional advice.
- Apply to your local council before you start the work. Approved works must be completed within 13 months of the approval letter (a council can extend this in exceptional cases).
- Maximum of 2 grants per person for single dwellings, one for your own home and one for a property you rent out.
- You must live in it or rent it out for at least 5 years. The real clawback is a registered 10-year charge: 100% if you sell or stop residing within 5 years, dropping to 75% between years 5 and 10, and nil after year 10.
- If a rental tenancy ends during the clawback period, there's no clawback as long as you find a new tenant in a reasonable time.
- Rental units cannot be used for Airbnb or short-term or holiday lettings.
- Tax clearance is needed if your grant payment is over €10,000, and for any contractor billed €650 or more.
- Can be combined with an SEAI energy grant (claim separately for the different works) and the Living City Initiative tax relief (the grant amount is deducted from what you can claim tax relief on), and can run alongside the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan.
- Agricultural buildings such as sheds and barns are not eligible.
How to apply
Applications go through Croí Cónaithe. The official page has the full eligibility rules and the application itself.
Go to the official page →Checked against the official source on 26 July 2026. Always confirm the details on the official page before applying.
Questions people ask
How much is the vacant property grant in 2026?
Up to €50,000 to refurbish a vacant home, or up to €70,000 if the property is derelict. A higher amount applies for homes on certain offshore islands, and converting a vacant or derelict commercial building into homes gets its own, larger top-up.
Who can apply?
It is for refurbishing a vacant or derelict home that you will live in or rent out. Only named individuals, not companies or developers, can apply. You apply to your local authority under the scheme. The official page has the conditions.
What happens if I sell or move out early?
There is a 10-year clawback charge registered on the property: 100% of the grant is clawed back if you sell or stop living in it within 5 years, dropping to 75% between years 5 and 10, and nil after 10 years.
Related guides
- Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan
- Ready to Build sites
- Living City Initiative
- Pyrite Remediation Scheme
- Defective Concrete Blocks (Mica) Grant
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