By Louise Doyle

THE success of a locally-led heritage regeneration project to challenge dereliction could be replicated as a model for regeneration but currently faces a number of road blocks, including the under funding of local authorities.

That’s the view of Donnan Harvey, secretary of Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter, in response to the findings of the latest GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report.

The report reveals Donegal has one of the highest residential vacancy levels in the country, which, at nine per cent, is almost triple the national average.

There were 667 new addresses in Donegal added to the Stock of Residential Dwellings, while total construction activity in Donegal by the end of Quarter 2 (April to June) 2025 stood at 3.7 per cent (829). The State total for buildings under construction stands at 23, 869, according to the report.

Other findings show Donegal recorded the lowest occupancy rate at 80.3 per cent, up 0.4 from the second quarter of 2024.

Speaking to the Donegal News, Mr Harvey said that while there were positives to glean from the report, including that the vacant home refurbishment grant uptake is highest in Donegal, he said he would liked to have seen “a bigger dent made on derelict residential addresses”.

“Our project has created the condition that people are willing to invest in their area, and people want to move into the area. Number five on the Church Lane is currently getting fixed up and number one has been sold. We’re seeing other properties being fixed up, such as one on Castle Street and the one beside The Cottage Bar. It’s a marked improvement in the area.”

Dereliction was put under the spotlight at two hugely successful and well-attended conferences in Letterkenny in 2022 and 2023, attended by the public, local councillors, department representatives and TDs.

DISCONNECT

Asked if he felt enough has been achieved in the intervening years, Mr Harvey said current government rules for community development are simply not fit for purpose

“We would hope that what we achieved in our locality could be replicated on Lower Main Street. There are a lot of buildings that can be fixed up and put up for sale.

“Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter has been working in partnership with Donegal County Council and Tidy Towns, and we believe that the model of heritage-led regeneration can be replicated as a model for regeneration but the problem is that central government is not helping in that regard. Local authorities are under funded.

“We found in the Cathedral Quarter how we are are victims of our own success. If we had been a group in a smaller town we would have been dealing with the Department of Community and Rural Affairs, but Letterkenny is classed as a bigger town.

“Community groups in an urban area are being penalised because they fall under the Department of Housing and they only deal with local authorities, where it should be the case that community groups have the same opportunity regardless of location. There are too many loopholes.

“At the minute, the rules from the rules from the government for community development are simply not fit for purpose. To take on a development officer you have to be generating an income of €19,500, and that is simply next to impossible for smaller groups like ourselves. Those are the problems that face community groups, and the government have washed their hands.

“Dereliction is not just a Donegal problem, it’s a problem across the State.”

Mr Harvey believes a mentoring programme would be advantageous.

“A mentoring programme on becoming a social enterprise would help untangle a lot of things. I think the reason our project has been so successful is because we are working in partnership with community groups, and in many ways we’re the eyes and ears on the ground.”