Over four hundred applicants for Croi Conaithe grant scheme

Donegal County Council has processed 424 applications as part of the Croi Conaithe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Scheme.  

The Council administers the scheme on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The grant schemes, which came into operation in July 2022, provides grants to property owners to refurbish properties that have been vacant for two years or more for use as their principle private residence or to be made available for rent.

The level of grant funding available is €50,000 or €70,000 if the property is derelict. The grants are increased by 20% for offshore island properties.

To date, the Council have processed 424 applications with 150 approved and 16 rejected on the basis that they do not meet the scheme criteria mainly relating to the proposed works or that the property has not been vacant for two years or more and built on or before 2007.

The balance of applications is either awaiting further information from the applicant or at first technical inspection stage.

There are four applicants who have completed the works and these are currently being processed for payment, with one applicant fully paid at this stage.