Councils taking 'proactive' steps to address dereliction and vacancy rates locally

CAVAN and Monaghan are among the top counties in Ireland with the highest percentage of uninhabitable or, derelict properties; though local authorities in the region say they are taking "proactive" steps to tackle the twin issues of dereliction and vacancy rates.

According to research conducted by the Irish Independent newspaper, there are 740 homes deemed uninhabitable in Co Cavan which equates to 2.1 per cent of the total 35,494 of housing stock in the county.

In Monaghan, the situation is better with 498 uninhabitable homes that make up 1.8 per cent of the county’s 27,422 housing stock.

The figures place Cavan in fourth place and Monaghan in joint sixth nationally for the worst record of converting derelict houses into habitable homes in the country.

Responding to the figures, a spokesperson for Cavan County Council said the local authority has been "proactive in tackling dereliction in the county".

To this end, a dedicated working group was established to tackle this issue in early 2024. The spokesperson further explained: "Its primary focus is on property activation through targeted, direct engagement with local property owners."

Since 2025, Cavan County Council has surveyed approximately 1,000 derelict properties in the county under the Derelict Sites Act and, to date, has been in direct contact with almost 500 property owners. This measure, the spokesperson said, has resulted in "significant improvement to the majority of these properties".

The council also pointed to other measures that help tackle dereliction and vacancy such as the Croí Cónaithe Vacant Property Refurbishment Scheme. Cavan County Council has issued over €9.6M in grant funding to date under this initiative, with 162 properties fully completed, and a further 469 approved for works.

Other capital projects underway in the county, supported by government funding, include the Market House redevelopment in Ballyconnell, the Community Hub at the Former Percy French Hotel in Ballyjamesduff, St Michael’s Hall in Cootehill, Kingscourt Town Regeneration and the major Abbeylands Regeneration Project in Cavan Town.

The spokesperson also pointed to the council's own social housing programme, which has transformed some derelict and vacant properties into high-quality social housing. St Brigid’s Place in Cavan Town; Briody’s Hardware, Kilnaleck; the Duckin’ Stool, Flynn’s Pub and the Palais in Belturbet; Stewart’s Shop in Killeshandra and Fleming’s Place, Ballinagh.

Neighbouring Leitrim, meanwhile, has the worst record for converting its derelict properties with 558 or three per cent of the total 18,884 houses in the county listed as uninhabitable.

Of the counties with the largest cities, just 0.2% of the housing stock in Dublin is uninhabitable, in Co Cork the figure is 0.7% and 1.2% in County Galway.

To tackle the issue, the Government is set to give responsibility for collecting the new Derelict Property Tax over to Revenue.The new tax will replace the Derelict Sites Levy, which was to be collected by individual local authorities, which often struggled with enforcement.

Both systems charge the owner seven per cent of the property's market value each year it sits on the derelict property register.

Under the old levy system, owners of urban properties or land must pay an annual levy of seven per cent of the market value of the land to their local authority.

The new tax is self-assessed and will be managed directly by Revenue using standard tax collection rules. However, the legislation allows the rate of the new tax to be higher.

Local authorities can also use Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) to address issues with derelict sites and dangerous structures, or if the land or building is required to deliver a strategically important piece of development. In such instances, statutory bodies including councils can purchase a house or lands without the consent of the owner.