Galway County Council has identified 40 derelict buildings in the County, which it will prioritise as part of a nationwide programme.
The properties will be included in the first phase of the programme to address vacancy and underutilisation of residential properties.
The council has also written to the owners of the 40 properties, outlining how it intends to bring the buildings back into use.
Tuam and Connemara are home to nine of the properties each, eight are in the Oranmore/Athenry area, while there are seven each in Loughrea and Ballinasloe.
The registered owners of the properties have been directed to bring them back into use within a set timeframe, or risk having the buildings acquired by the Local Authority.
In a GeoDirectory Vacancy Data Survey undertaken by the county council, 817 properties were deemed vacant and/or derelict within the county.
773 of those were deemed to be vacant and 44 properties were deemed to be vacant and derelict.
