Grants launched to unlock vacant buildings and above shop homes across Ireland
New funding of up to €135,000 aims to accelerate reuse of town centre spaces for housing supply
02 April 2026 | 📧 editor@ipropertyradio.com
New Government grants aimed at converting vacant buildings and unused spaces above shops into homes have been announced by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne.
The measures are designed to bring underutilised properties in cities, towns and villages back into use, with a focus on increasing housing supply while supporting the vitality of town centres.
The initiative marks the first time the State has introduced a dedicated grant scheme to support the residential conversion of vacant spaces above shops.
Under the new framework, a Vacant Above the Shop Grant will provide funding of up to €135,000, depending on the number of residential units delivered. Grants of up to €95,000 will apply where one unit is created, rising to €115,000 for two units and €135,000 for three or more units.
A separate €5,000 Expert Advice Grant will be available to support property owners in securing professional guidance on the feasibility and delivery of conversion works.
In addition, the Government has introduced a targeted top-up to the existing Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. This will provide up to €40,000 in additional funding where entire vacant commercial or public buildings are converted into two or more residential units. Combined with existing supports and the expert advice grant, total funding of up to €115,000 will be available for such projects.
The measures build on existing vacancy and dereliction initiatives, including the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, which has supported the return of approximately 5,200 homes to use since its introduction in July 2022.
Announcing the scheme, Minister Browne said the Government must “pull every lever” to address the housing crisis and reduce visible vacancy in town centres.
“People are understandably frustrated when we see properties on our main streets lying idle. These new measures are designed to bring more of these buildings back into productive use and provide much-needed homes for people to live in, in their own communities,” he said.
He added that the grants are intended to remove barriers to redevelopment and support quicker delivery of homes, while maintaining active commercial use at ground floor level where applicable.
The scheme applies to properties with vacant above shop space that has been unused for at least two years. Importantly, eligibility does not require the ground floor commercial unit to be vacant, reflecting a policy objective to sustain local businesses alongside residential development.
Latest data from the Central Statistics Office shows the national residential vacancy rate stood at 3.2% at the end of 2024, down from 3.6% in 2022, indicating progress but also ongoing potential for further activation of existing building stock.
The Department said the new measures form part of a broader strategy to tackle housing supply constraints while supporting more compact, sustainable and active town centres.
Further details on eligibility and application processes are available via gov.ie.
