A Kerry auctioneer says the Minister for Housing should make the renovation of vacant and derelict properties a priority.
Paul Stephenson of Sherry FitzGerald Stephenson Crean says tackling vacant and derelict properties would help increase stock for the rental sector and for buyers, and would help the local economy.
A vacant property is one that has not been in use for an extended period of time, while a derelict property is one that detracts from the area around it because of things like appearance, ruinous structures, and litter.
It’s also currently unknown how many vacant and/or derelict buildings there are in Ireland, with conflicting figures from different state bodies.
Paul Stephenson says if he was the Minister for Housing, that would be the area he would focus on.
Under the Croí Cónaithe fund, people can apply for a maximum of €50,000 through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant to help with the cost of refurbishing such properties.
It was introduced in July 2022, but in September 2023 only 33 applications had been approved by Kerry County Council.
Paul Stephenson, auctioneer with Sherry Fitzgerald Stephenson Crean, says this grant should be increased and made easier to access.
