Ireland has thousands of empty homes, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, better known as Croí Cónaithe, is designed to bring them back to life. It is worth up to €50,000 to refurbish a vacant property, or up to €70,000 if the property is derelict, and it is not means-tested. Here is exactly how it works and how to claim it.
The two grant levels
There is one grant with two levels: a standard amount for a vacant home, and a higher amount where the property is genuinely derelict.
Up to €50,000 to refurbish a property that has been vacant for at least 2 years. This is the standard grant, for homes that are empty and need bringing back up to standard.
Where the property is confirmed as derelict (structurally unsound and dangerous), a top-up of up to €20,000 is added, bringing the maximum to €70,000.
You must live in the home as your principal private residence when the works are done, or make it available for rent. It is not for a holiday home.
- Standard grant
- Up to €50,000for a vacant property
- Derelict top-up
- Up to €70,000 totalextra €20,000 if structurally unsound
- Vacancy needed
- At least 2 yearsimmediately before you apply
- Property age
- Built before 2008a condition of the scheme
- Means-tested
- Noincome is not assessed
Do you qualify?
The conditions are about the property and how you will use it, not your income. Tick what applies:
The journey, step by step
Bringing a vacant home back is a project, so here is the path from empty house to finished home.
Questions people ask
Can I get it for a property I am buying?
Yes. The grant is commonly used by people buying a long-vacant or derelict home to do up. You provide proof of ownership as part of the process, and work starts only after approval.
What proof of vacancy do I need?
You show the property has been empty for at least 2 years before you apply, for example through utility records. We help you assemble the evidence the council needs.
Does derelict just mean run-down?
No. For the higher grant, derelict means structurally unsound and dangerous, and it must be confirmed as such. A merely tired or dated house is a standard vacant property.
Can I rent it out instead of living in it?
Yes. The grant allows you to make the property available for rent rather than living in it yourself, as long as it becomes an occupied home.
The bottom line
Croí Cónaithe turns an empty or derelict house into a home, with up to €50,000 for a vacant property and up to €70,000 if it is derelict, and no means test. The conditions are about the property, and the reward is a home brought back to life, ideally warm and efficient if you pair it with energy grants.
Ballyhome carries out the refurbishment and handles the paperwork for homeowners across Cork and Munster. Plan the energy side with our complete guide to SEAI grants, and see how external wall insulation and reroofing fit into a refurbishment.
