The Government is to introduce a new Derelict Property Tax covering 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 measure as part of the Finance Bill later this year, reports RTE.
The tax will initially apply to properties in urban areas with populations of 4,000 or more.
This includes Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway cities, as well as towns such as Drogheda, Dundalk, Navan, Sligo and Roscommon, reports RTE.
A second phase will then extend the measure to a further 64 towns with populations of 2,000 or more, bringing the total number of locations covered to 171.
The new tax will replace the current derelict site levy, which is charged at 7% of the market value of the property, and the new rate will not be set below the current figure, reports RTE.
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 would not be measured by the amount of tax collected, but rather by the number of properties restored and homes created, reports RTE.
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, reports RTE.
Latest estimates indicate there were approximately 19,438 derelict residential properties across the State at the end of 2025.
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