Harris Extends Living City Initiative to Drogheda, Dundalk, Athlone, Letterkenny, Sligo

Drogheda, Dundalk, Athlone, Letterkenny, and Sligo have been added to the Living City Initiative, a tax relief scheme targeting vacancy and dereliction. Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris signed orders formally designating the five towns.

From today, property owners in designated 'Special Regeneration Areas' (SRA) within these towns can claim tax relief for refurbishing or converting buildings for residential or commercial use, subject to criteria and SRA maps submitted by local authorities. The SRAs highlight central urban areas needing regeneration with high vacancy and dereliction rates, and a stock of older buildings.

The scheme, already available in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, and Waterford, aims to support regeneration, increase housing supply, and revitalize town centers. It encourages refurbishment, 'living over the shop', and the use of vacant space above retail units.

The Living City Initiative is in place until the end of 2030 and includes residential properties built before 1975, with no building age restriction for the 'living over the shop' category introduced in the last budget. It supports refurbishment for main residences, rental housing, and commercial premises.