Over €8.2m in Grants Approved to bring Vacant & Derelict Homes in Cork Back to Use

1,063 Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant applications have been approved in Cork to date which has brought more homes back into residential use, Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’ Shea has said.

Deputy O’ Shea said that the grant is supporting people across Cork to bring these vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes. “The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was introduced to help bring derelict properties back to life as affordable homes. So far in Cork County Council, €3.1m in grants have been drawn down by applicants. We can see the number of grants being paid out continuing to rise significantly each quarter as works on properties are completed. It’s fantastic to see so many people in Cork availing of this grant”.

Deputy O’Shea added “93 applications have been approved in Cork already in 2025 and I hope to see a continued increase in approved applications throughout the year. Across the country, €112.5 million has been paid out since the grant was launched in July 2022, showing the importance of the scheme. The grant helps repurpose the buildings we already have, so we are boosting available accommodation whilst also rejuvenating our towns and urban centres”.

“Fine Gael is committed to helping more people in Cork own their own home and increasing supply is key to achieving that. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant helps bring buildings back into use and revitalises our communities”, concluded Deputy O’Shea.