Over 150 vacant Kildare homes return to active use

MINISTER for housing, local government and heritage James Browne has announced that €9.37m has been paid out in Kildare through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, which has brought 169 disused homes into use. In total, since the grant was launched in July 2022 up to 30 September 2025, there have been 378 applications from Kildare homeowners with 287 approvals.

Nationally, over €200 million has been disbursed through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, successfully returning 3,672 previously vacant or derelict homes to active residential use across the country.

Throughout the country, the third quarter of this year saw the highest-ever Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant payments, with 760 grants paid, representing a 126% increase compared with the same period last year. Since the scheme’s launch in July 2022, 11,059 applications have been approved, underlining the growing momentum of the scheme and its impact in tackling vacancy and boosting housing supply.

Welcoming the number of homes returned from vacancy and dereliction, minister for housing James Browne said: “I want to be very clear. I consider vacant and derelict homes not only a blight on our village and town communities, but also that I see it as a form of anti-social behaviour. It is unacceptable in a housing crisis, and I will not be found wanting in tackling it.

“Consider this the warning shot: if you have properties left derelict, then I expect them to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.” 

Since the introduction of the grant in July 2022 to September 2025, Donegal County Council and Cork County Council have received the highest number of applications, with over 1,000 applications received. They are followed closely by Dublin City Council, which has received over 900 applications. Mayo and Tipperary county councils are the next highest in terms of activity under the scheme.

A total of 14,910 applications have been received for the grant since it was launched in July 2022. Of those 11,059 applications have been approved. A total of €200,047,785 million has been paid out to 3,672 applicants.