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Broadening the Vacant Homes grant

Published

3 years ago

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By Ted Healy of DNG TED HEALY 

Vacant property grants of up to €50,000 are to be extended to all vacant properties across the country in a bid to bring as many unoccupied buildings back into use as family homes.

Until now the grant has provided financial supports to refurbished vacant properties in towns and villages only.

However, at the time of writing, it is expected that Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien will announce that he is bringing properties in inner city areas including Cork, Dublin, Galway, and Limerick as well as one-off farmhouses in rural locations into the scheme.

Over 400 applications for the scheme have been made to date since its launch in July of this year. While the qualifying criteria is to be broadened out, it is understood that there are currently no plans to increase the €50m which had been originally allocated for the scheme.

However, this could be reviewed if the scheme is oversubscribed.

Under the scheme, a grant of up €30,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore.

However, people can apply for a top-up grant of up to €20,000 where the property is derelict and structurally unsound.

The grants, which are primarily aimed at helping first-time buyers to bridge the cost of refurbishing older and unused homes can also be combined with supports received under the Sustainable Energy Authority Of Ireland (SEAI) Better Energy Homes scheme.

Properties must be vacant for two years or more and built before 1993 to qualify.

Preliminary results from Census 2022 recorded more than 166,000 dwellings as vacant in the State.

While some of these may have been unoccupied on a temporary basis, more than 30% (48,387) of the dwellings vacant in 2022 were also out of use when the previous Census was carried out in 2016.

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HeartBeat’s expert talk on the science of sleep

HeartBeat Kil larney will focus on the vital role of sleep in cardiac and mental health at its next community meeting on February 24. The event, held at the Parish […]

Published

6 hours ago

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20 February 2026

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HeartBeat Kil

larney will focus on the vital role of sleep in cardiac and mental health at its next community meeting on February 24.
The event, held at the Parish Centre on Park Road, features guest speaker Dr Anna O’Sullivan, a Senior Clinical Psychologist with the HSE.
Following her previous popular sessions with the group, Dr O’Sullivan will return to provide a deep dive into the neuroscience of sleep.
The talk will explore why rest is a cornerstone of physical and mental well-being and how sleep requirements shift throughout various life stages, from childhood and the teenage years to parenthood, perimenopause, and older adulthood.
Attendees can expect practical advice on managing common sleep difficulties and strategies for improving sleep quality. Dr O’Sullivan will also outline simple self-care actions that can maintain or enhance long-term sleeping habits, as well as the long-term impacts of insufficient rest.
The meeting begins at 8:00 pm at the Parish Centre and is open to all members of the community. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation, and the evening will conclude with light refreshments and an opportunity for attendees to chat.

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Parking plan for Muckross Rowing Club boat launch

Published

10 hours ago

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20 February 2026

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Muckross Rowing Club will host a landmark event on Sunday to officially launch and bless three new additions to its racing fleet.

The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the club’s boathouse at 2pm and represents a significant moment in the club’s long-standing history.


The club has issued an open invitation to all past and present members, as well as supporters, friends, and family, to join in the celebrations.

Following the formal blessing and naming of the boats, light refreshments will be served at the boathouse for all attendees.


For those planning to attend the event, parking will be situated at the Muckross House car park.


The club has requested that anyone requiring parking access closer to the boathouse make contact with a committee member in advance so that appropriate assistance and arrangements can be made.


The core of the celebration is the naming of the boats in honour of three of the club’s most distinguished athletes: Paul Griffin, Sean Casey, and Cathal Moynihan.


These three oarsmen achieved the ultimate success in the sport by representing Ireland at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.


Having started their journeys as Muckross juniors before rising through the international ranks, their legacy continues to be a major source of pride for the club as they are immortalised in the newest fleet.

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