178 Wicklow Homeowners Have Successfully Tapped Into The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant

Over €2.75 million in government grants has restored 51 vacant properties across the county as Minister for Housing warns against the scourge of dereliction

Wicklow is seeing a significant boost in the fight against vacant and derelict homes.

Since the launch of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant in July 2022, 178 homeowners in the county have had their applications approved, bringing 51 previously empty properties back into use.

In total, over €2.75 million has been paid out to Wicklow homeowners through the scheme.

Minister for Housing, James Browne, welcomed the figures and made it clear that derelict properties are not just an eyesore but a serious community issue.

He said: “I consider vacant and derelict homes not only a blight on our village and town communities, but also a form of anti-social behaviour. It is unacceptable in a housing crisis, and I will not be found wanting in tackling it.”

He added: “Disused properties not only represent missed opportunities to provide much-needed homes, but they also undermine the vibrancy and liveability of our town centres. It’s appalling to me personally, and I know it is just galling for people who live near them, to see sites in service areas where councils are tending to roads and nearby amenities.”

Across the country, the scheme has already restored more than 3,600 homes to residential use, with over €200 million paid out in grants.

But Wicklow, despite being a smaller county, is showing strong participation, with 264 applications submitted and 178 approvals since the grant began.

Minister Browne highlighted recent government measures to encourage further action:

“This is why in the recent budget, the Government expanded the Living City Initiative to support ‘over-the-shop’ conversions, and introduced a new Derelict Property Tax, to replace the current Derelict Sites Levy. These figures clearly demonstrate that the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is playing a key role in tackling vacancy and dereliction, with more and more homes coming back into residential use.”

For Wicklow residents, the scheme is already making a visible difference in towns and villages, helping to return life to streets that were previously marked by empty or derelict properties.

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