The Government has not paid out any money under the Vacant Property Refurbishment grant, despite 105 applications being approved since July.
The Government launched the Croí Cónaithe scheme in July which gives people payment for turning a vacant house or building in towns and villages into a permanent home.
It was first launched for eligible vacant properties in towns and villages and was extended to include vacant properties in cities and all rural areas in November.
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A grant of up to €30,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties. Where a property is derelict, a top-up grant of €20,000 is available.
Figures published by the Government this week show that there were 765 grant applications last year. Some 105 were approved, while another 102 were rejected. Another 558 applications are in progress.
However, no grants have been issued, the figures show.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik told the Irish Mirror that the fact that no money had been released was “truly shocking but not surprising”.
She said: It’s symptomatic of the Government’s approach when it comes to housing; Lip service to the crisis but scant on implementation and action.
“Indeed, the updated Vacant Homes Action Plan reheated and re-announced last week is entirely without targets, nor does it contain CPO [Compulsory Purchase Order] target for vacant and derelict homes for each local authority.
“There’s 105 applicants who are now stalled by Government unnecessarily. While the Government delays, homes remain vacant and families remain in limbo.”
Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin told the Irish Mirror the fact that there have “only been a few hundred applications and even fewer approvals is very concerning” and that it “doesn’t bode well for serious efforts to address vacancy and dereliction”.
Mr Ó Broin also raised concerns that some applications may be delayed due to the “clawback” nature of the scheme. If a house is sold within 10 years, the grant has to be paid back to the Local Authority.
He said that he has been told by people who have applied for the scheme that there have been questions raised by banks about whether they or the Government would get their money back first if the property value falls.
“The Croi Conaithe grant is held as a charge against the property,” he explained.
“Somebody has gotten the grant and then they go to the bank to get a loan and the bank is querying who gets the first call on proceeds in case of a default.”
A spokeswoman for Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said that there is a “lag” between the application being approved and the grant being paid out.
“The Local Authority receives, reviews and validates applications,” she said.
“They then arrange for a qualified person to visit the property to check that it is possible to do the work and to assess the cost. They then confirm the successful application.
“The homeowner does the work. The Local Authority sends someone to check it’s done and then they will pay the grant.”
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