The Government is to introduce a new Derelict Property Tax in 107 cities and towns across the State.
Updated / Sunday, 14 Jun 2026 19:17
This tax will initially apply to properties located in urban areas with populations of 4,000 or more
The Government is to introduce a new Derelict Property Tax in 107 cities and towns across the State.
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris will update the Cabinet on Tuesday on plans to introduce the tax as part of the Finance Bill later in the year.
This tax will initially apply to properties located in urban areas with populations of 4,000 or more.
This includes Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway cities, as well as towns like Drogheda, Dundalk, Navan, Sligo and Roscommon.
A second phase will then extend the measure to a further 64 towns with populations of 2,000 or more.
This will bring the total number of locations covered to 171.
The tax will replace the current derelict site levy, which is charged at 7% of the market value of the property.
The new tax rate will not be lower than the current figure.
Watch: Government to introduce new Derelict Property Tax
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Mr Harris said the primary objective of the measure is to support the revitalisation of communities by bringing long-term derelict buildings back into productive use.
He said success will not be measured by the amount of tax collected, but rather by the number of properties restored and homes created.
The new tax will be administered by Revenue, while local authorities will maintain derelict property registers and identify properties that meet the relevant criteria.
Officials are continuing to develop the detailed design of the scheme, including exemptions, appeals mechanisms and ownership verification arrangements ahead of legislation later this year.
Latest estimates indicate there were approximately 19,438 residential derelict properties across the State at the end of 2025.
Read the full article at RTÉ News →The Government is to introduce a new Derelict Property Tax in 107 cities and towns across the State.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual statement without any apparent framing, word-choice, emphasis, or sourcing that indicates a particular ideological slant. It simply reports the introduction of a new tax policy without commentary or context that would suggest a left or right leaning.
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