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DERELICTION CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY to Ireland’s housing crisis, and the government has repeatedly pledged to tackle the issue by bringing vacant homes back into use.
The task of doing so falls to Ireland’s 31 local authorities, who must identify derelict properties and put them on the Derelict Sites Register.
The aim of the register is to encourage owners to bring vacant houses and land into use through the imposition of an annual levy of 7% of the property’s market value, which applies until the site is no longer derelict.
If councils aren’t satisfied with how the owners of derelict properties are doing, then the Housing Act allows them to acquire vacant properties via Compulsory Purchase Orders so that the local authority can bring them back into use.
But how are councils actually doing on this?
The Journal has been keeping track of the vacant and derelict properties that councils have sought to acquire via An Coimisiún Pleanála for the past year, but this only relates to cases where owners objected to the CPO process.
Now we can reveal exactly how many properties were acquired overall last year.
Using the Freedom of Information Act, we asked every council in Ireland how many properties they had purchased for the purposes of housing in 2025 and where those properties were located.
Their responses showed that local authorities acquired a total of 99 properties via Compulsory Purchase Orders last year, comprising a mix of derelict houses and land where future housing can be built.
However, councils also commenced the CPO process for more properties for which they are still waiting to be given legal ownership, or for An Coimisiún Pleanála to decide whether they can even buy them to begin with following objections from current owners.
Monaghan County Council acquired the highest number of properties (17) via CPO in 2025, followed by Limerick City and County Council and Waterford City and County Council (12 each).
Of the 31 councils around the country, 11 of them did not acquire a single property.
Here is the breakdown of the number of properties acquired by each council and, in most cases, where those properties are located.
No derelict houses were bought by Cavan County Council using the CPO process last year.
The council began the CPO process on three properties in Cavan town in 2025, but this stalled on two of the houses after their owners took steps to take them out of dereliction.
The council said it would continue to monitor the two houses in the coming months for signs of vacancy, adding that it could re-commence the CPO process on either.
Cavan County Council’s attempt to CPO a third property has been appealed to An Comisiún Pleanála, with a decision due in April. The Journal previously covered this case in December.
Carlow County Council commenced the CPO process on three derelict properties in 2025.
These were located at 5 Upper Staplestown Road in Carlow town, and 3 Bridge Street and a property at Moffett’s Lane in Hacketstown.
Clare County Council began the CPO process on 15 derelict houses last year. Of these, nine properties are at what is called ‘vesting stage’, the process where the ownership of the properties are legally transferred from the original owner to the council.
The council received objections to its attempts to CPO four properties, and these cases are now with An Comisiún Pleanála; two of them were previously covered by The Journal in December.
Another property is currently being refurbished by the council’s housing department. And yet another is being sold by its original owner, so the CPO process has stalled.
Cork County Council acquired five properties via the CPO process last year.
They included a house at 3 Patrick’s Hill in Bandon and a cottage at Elm Lawn, Loughbeg in Ringaskiddy, which were bought last summer.
The council also acquired three more properties for housing in December: a house at 12 Casement Row in Fermoy; a house at 19 Foildarrig Cotagges in Castletownbere; and the former Hayes Shop in Kilbrin.
Elsewhere in the county, Cork City Council acquired four properties under the CPO process last year.
They included houses based at: 5 Prosperous Place in Cork city; 20 Muskerry Terrace in Blarney; a house at Fairfield Road/Beechwood Grove in the city; and 49/50 Old Market Place, also in the city.
Donegal County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
Dublin City Council compulsorily acquired one property for housing last year. The house is located at 24 St Assam’s Park in Raheny.
Fingal County Council also purchased one property under the CPO process last year. It is located at 3 Wellview Grove in Mulhuddart.
Galway County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
Galway City Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
Kerry County Council bought three properties using the CPO process in 2025. However, the council did not say where these were located.
Kildare County Council purchased seven properties via CPO last year.
They were located at 12 Willow Crescent in Celbridge; 27 St Corban’s Place in Naas; The Bargain Store and Tattoo Shop on Station Road in Kildare town; O’Modhrain Hall on Cutlery Road in Newbridge; 649 St Patrick’s Park in Celbridge; the old Garda station on Leinster Street in Rathangan; and another property on Leinster Street in Rathangan.
Kilkenny County Council began the CPO process on six properties in 2025, though it did not say specifically where they were based.
It acquired three properties: one in Kilkenny and another in Kilmacow, both of which it intends to sell on the open market; and another property in Callan which will be transferred to the council’s housing department.
Two more properties are at vesting stage: one in Ballyragget and another in Goresbridge, both of which the council intends to sell on the open market when they are acquired.
The council also ended the CPO process for another property in Mooncoin after remedial action was taken by its owner to remove it from dereliction.
Laois County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
Leitrim County Council acquired one property through the CPO process in 2025. The property is located at Market Street in Dromahair.
Limerick City and Council bought 12 derelict houses and sites under the CPO process last year.
They included four sites, which were located at Churchtown in Newcastle West, Maiden Street in Newcastle West, Marian Drive on Roxboro Road in Limerick city, and 1 Lilcac Court at Keyes Park also in Limerick city.
The council also purchased eight houses: 14 Pearse Avenue in Janesboro in the city; 14 Sarsfield Avenue, Upper Pennywell in Limerick city; 10 Saint Columcille Street at Saint Mary’s Park in the city; 10 Sarsfield Street in the city; 26 Clare Street in the city; Main Street, Athea; 224 Rose Cort at O’Malley Park; and 119 Mountain View at O’Malley Park.
Longford County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
One property in the county is at vesting stage and is awaiting finalisation, but the council did not provide details of its whereabouts.
Louth County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
Mayo County Council acquired five properties via the CPO process in 2025.
The included houses at Lower Fairgreen in Westport, 3 Chapel Row in Swinford, Lisnaboley in Claremorris, 3 Tyrawley Terrace in Ballina and 47 Tyrawley Terrace in Ballina.
The council also sought to acquire a sixth property at Castlefield Manor in Ballina, but the CPO process is still underway in relation to this house.
Meath County Council took possession of four properties via CPO last year.
They were located at 39 Northlands, Betaghstown in Bettystown; 44 Newrath View in Kells; 2 Parkstown View in Ballivor; and 38 Newmans Mill in Athboy.
Monaghan County Council acquired 17 properties via the CPO process last year.
Eight of these were re-sold to developers, and were located at: 13 Old Cross Square in Monaghan town; 85 Main Street in Ballybay; the Assembly Rooms on Dawson Street in Monaghan town; a property on Newtownbulter Road in Clones; another property at The Diamond in Clones; 26 Emmet Street in Carrickmacross; a property at Church Street in Castleblayney; and a property on Lower Main Street in Newbliss.
Another seven were earmarked for redevelopment by the council, located at: Derryveagh in Carrockroe; Coolshannagh in Monaghan town; two properties at Main Street in Newbliss; 15 Dublin Street in Monaghan town; Widows Row in Rockorry; Church Street in Castleblayney; Lower Main Street in Newbliss; and Scotshouse Road in Newbliss.
Two more houses were also listed for sale on the open market: one located at 9 Plantation Terrace in Monaghan town; and another at Fortview School in Clones.
Offaly County Council bought two houses via CPO in 2025.
Both of these were located in Tullamore: one property was bought on Arden Road and another was bought on High Street.
Roscommon County Council acquired four properties via the CPO process in 2025.
Three two-storey houses were bought, including 19 Abbey View in Kilcolman, 49 Shannon Valley in Kilcolman and 43 Termon Road in Boyle.
The council also bought a property known as Lavan’s Shop at Falladeen in Ballinlough.
Sligo County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
South Dublin County Council refused The Journal’s Freedom of Information request on the basis that records could not be found, indicating that it may not have purchased any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
Tipperary County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
Waterford City and County Council acquired 12 properties via CPO last year.
They were located at Tallow, Bath Street in Dungarvan, Árd na Gréine in Waterford city, Ballybricken in Waterford city, John’s Street in Waterford city, Stradbally, Greenfields in Waterford city, Johnstown in Waterford city, Cappoquin, Clashmore, Lismore and Dungarvan.
Westmeath County Council acquired one site via CPO last year. The site is located at Lissywollen, and is earmarked for a housing development that it is hoped will deliver 576 homes.
Wexford County Council acquired five properties via CPO in 2025, and commenced the CPO process for another eight.
The properties that were bought were located at Cherryorchard in Enniscorthy, 6 King Street in Wexford town, 23 North Street in New Ross, 34 Island Road in Enniscorthy and 111 North Main Street in Wexford town.
Wicklow County Council did not CPO any properties or sites for housing purposes last year.
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