No limit on Laois Croi Conaithe house refurbishment budget

There is no limit to the number of Laois homes that could be awarded refurbishment grants of up to €50,000.

Laois County Council has confirmed that they have received 31 applications so far to the Croí Conaithe grant scheme aimed at renovating vacant homes to be then inhabited by the owner.

They say that there is no cap on how many schemes they can fund.

Director for Services for Planning Angela McEvoy was answering questions at the February council meeting.

"There isn't a budget. It depends on the number of applications.  We are at the mercy of owners to do the works. They have to have an element of matched funding themselves. We are actively trying to promote it to address vacancy and dereliction.

"It's very popular in rural areas. We have had a number of applications in derelict properties," Ms McEvoy said.

Out of the 31 submitted to Laois County Council so far, not one has been rejected yet.

They have given final approval on five applications. Three more are approved in principal, 22 more are under consideration. One was withdrawn by the applicant. 

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The Croí Conaithe (Towns) Fund Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant gives grants of up to €30,000 including VAT to owners who want to refurbish houses that are empty for two or more years. The owner must then live in the house as a principal private residence. They can include buildings that were never houses before, such as pubs or shops.

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A top-up grant of up to €20,000 more is also available to properties which are proved derelict. 

Owners must prove the house is vacant and or derelict, and provide estimated costs for the works sought. The grant is paid after the works are complete and inspected. Preference given to first time buyers, Fresh Start applicants, people with disablility and older people wishing to move from rural areas into towns. 

The Croí Conaithe scheme was extended out from towns to now cover all rural areas late last year, after a political outcry that it was going to cause a further loss of activity in rural communities.