Croí Cónaithe Refurbishment Fund

The Expert Advice Grant provides funding of up to €5,000 (the total grant sought cannot exceed 67% of the overall cost inclusive of VAT) towards having an appropriately qualified professional provide expert advice to the owner of;

•  A building with a commercial element and vacant above the shop space who may avail of the Vacant Above the Shop Grant to convert / refurbish the vacant space into residential unit/s, with the commercial element remaining.

•  A former vacant commercial / public use building who may avail of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Conversion of former Commercial Building / public use building to convert the entire building into more than one residential unit.

   

Only one Expert Advice grant can be applied for per building.

Applications can only be made by named individuals who own the building for which the advice grant is being applied, or who are actively engaged in purchasing the building. Where there is more than one owner of the building, all owners must be included on the application form.

The Expert Advice Grant is not currently available to registered companies, developers, undertakings etc.

The Expert Advice Grant is available to owners of buildings where there is vacant above the shop space and where the commercial element is remaining in use (shop, office, former public use) who are: 

• Considering converting / refurbishing the vacant space outside of the commercial element into self-contained residential unit(s) and intending / considering applying for the Vacant Above the Shop Grant to support the conversion / refurbishment work to bring the vacant space in the building into residential use. 

   

The grant is also available to owners of vacant and derelict former commercial / public use buildings who are; 

• Considering a change of use of the entire building from commercial to residential where more than one residential unit will be created and intending /considering applying for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Conversion of Commercial / Public Use Building. 

   

In both cases, it is not a requirement that the Grant subsequently be applied for. 

Note - the Expert Advice Grant is not available where the entire commercial building is being converted into one residential unit.

You can find the application form here and below. 

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is a payment you can get if you are turning a vacant property back into residential use.

• A grant of up to €50,000 is available if the property is vacant.

• If the refurbishment costs exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, an additional top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available if the property is structurally unsound / dangerous or on the derelict sites register bringing the top-up grant amount up to €70,000.

   

The grant is paid when the approved refurbishment works have been completed and all terms and conditions of the scheme have been met.

Please find the application form here and below.

From 31 March 2026, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was expanded to support bringing more vacant and derelict properties into use as homes. This includes top-up amounts to existing grant levels where former commercial/public use buildings are being converted in their entirety into two or more residential units. This brings the maximum grant levels to: 

• €70,000 if the property is a vacant former commercial/public use building where two residential units are created, and €90,000 where three or more residential units are created. 

• €90,000 if the property is a derelict former commercial/public use building where two residential units are created, and €110,000 where three or more residential units are created. 

   

Note that if the vacant or derelict former commercial/public use building is being converted into one residential unit or one unit for rent, then the typical maximum Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant rates apply. 

The grant is paid when the approved refurbishment works have been completed and all terms and conditions of the scheme have been met.

A separate application form is available in case of such buildings here and below. 

From 31 March 2026, a grant of up to €135,000 is available for the conversion or refurbishment of vacant above the shop space into residential units for occupation either as a principal private residence and/or for residential units that will be made available for rent where tenancy/tenancies are registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), subject to appropriate planning permission being in place. 

The grant amounts are as follows: 

• €95,000 where one residential unit is created in the vacant above the shop space 
• €115,000 where two residential units are created in the vacant above the shop space

• €135,000 where three or more residential units are crated in the vacant above the shop space 

   

Applicants must indicate on their application form if they are applying in respect of a residential unit that will become their principal private residence and/or unit(s) that will be made available for rent.

The grant is paid when the approved refurbishment works have been completed and all terms and conditions of the scheme have been met.

You can download the application form here and find it below.