There has been a huge increase in the number of vacant property grant payments issued in Kerry in the third quarter of the year.
Figures released by the Department of Housing show, however, that the number of grants paid out is still a very small percentage of the total number of applications.
The figures show that nationally, €45 million has been paid out by the state in grants for the renovation of 867 homes.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched in 2022, and allows a payment of up to €70,000 to renovate a vacant or derelict property to live in or rent it.
The grant is distributed by local authorities from a central government fund called Croí Cónaithe, and once an application is approved, the applicant then has 13 months to complete the refurbishment works in order to draw down the money.
Figures from the Department of Housing show that since it was introduced over two years ago, just 29 applicants have actually been paid the grant in Kerry.
Only six applicants had successfully drawn down the grant in the two years to June of this year, but the rate of payments issued has rapidly increased over the summer, with 23 payments made in the last three months alone.
That means that 80% of all grant payments that have been issued in Kerry were issued in the last three months.
The level of grants drawn down in Kerry is still a low percentage of total applications and approved applications.
Just under 500 applications have been made for the refurbishment grant since it was introduced, and just under 6% of those have been successful in drawing down the grant.
Of those applications, 227 were approved, meaning only around 12% of approved applicants are successful in drawing down the grant payment, the vast majority in the last three months.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien says in the coming weeks and months, the number of grant payments will continue to ramp up as thousands nationally complete refurbishment work and draw down full grant awards.
