Call for strategy to be developed as Leitrim tops vacant property numbers

Uptake for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, or Croí Cónaithe, has remained strong in Leitrim this year, with Leitrim County Council receiving 28 applications between April 1 and June 30, of which 21 were approved. 

Since the scheme’s launch in 2022, there have been almost 300 applications. However, the number of vacant properties in Leitrim still remains the highest in Ireland.

At the September meeting of Leitrim County Council, Cllr Enda McGloin called for the Council to develop a strategy to address the high level of vacant and derelict buildings in both towns and rural areas. 

Commending the uptake of Croí Cónaithe and the Council’s efforts to promote the scheme, his motion stated, “We now need a strategy to include actions on derelict sites within our towns in the county to include a register that would eventually include the imposition of levies while also encouraging site owners to either sell on the properties to potential developers or ensure conversion to living accommodation based on the vacant home grant.”

Director of Services for Housing, Mary Quinn, confirmed in a response that a strategy will be developed in 2026 to tackle dereliction in the county’s main towns and villages. 

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This will require funding provision, including valuations by auctioneers, which can be addressed through the budgetary process. 

The response also noted that there are currently 24 properties on the Derelict Sites Register. The next step is to obtain valuations for these properties, after which the Council can place a seven percent levy on each property’s market value.

Levies, however, can only be imposed in urban areas and not rural ones. In Leitrim, seven towns are classified as urban: Ballinamore, Carrick-on-Shannon, Kinlough, Dromahair, Drumshanbo, Manorhamilton and Mohill. This list can be reviewed and updated annually if required.

During the discussion, questions were raised about the difference between derelict properties and vacant properties. 

Senior Planner Bernard Greene explained that derelict refers to when a building is unsightly and detracts from the amenities of an area. He said that there are currently 24 properties on the register, with another 12 at various stages of being added. 

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Before including a property, owners are informed of the specific works that need to be carried out, such as painting, repairing windows, or clearing overgrown vegetation. If those steps are undertaken, the property is not added to the register. 

Greene explained that a property may no longer be considered derelict, but that does not necessarily mean it has been brought back into use.

“We have the highest number of vacant properties but the number is falling compared to what was there. There has been success in particular with Croí Cónaithe,” Mr Greene said.

As to why there are certainly more than 24 derelict properties in Leitrim, he added that it is difficult to identify and record them all, as many older properties are not registered on Land Direct, which makes it harder to establish ownership.

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