Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 October 2024
342. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to outline her proposals for further enhancement or expenditure under the town and village centre renewal scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40900/24]
View answerOur Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development Policy 2021 – 2025, represents the Irish Government’s blueprint for the sustainable development of rural Ireland. It sets out a vision for a thriving rural Ireland, and to that end establishes a strategic framework for the delivery of capital investment under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. The delivery of these actions will enhance the wellbeing and quality of life for people living in our rural towns and villages.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects.
In line with the policy commitments within the Our Rural Future and Town Centre First policy (TCF), priorities are reviewed at the end of each scheme year to ensure that funding schemes are structured in a way that delivers on key government commitments and provide impactful projects in communities.
For example, in 2021 I introduced a new ‘Project Development Measure’ to assist local authorities to establish to a pipeline of significant, well-developed projects which might be subsequently progressed to construction stage, subject to the availability of further funding. In 2022, in recognition of the urgent need to transform and regenerate town centres I introduced a new ‘Building Acquisition Measure’ which enabled local authorities to immediately acquire derelict or vacant buildings, with the intention of using these projects for town regeneration purposes and this was continued again in 2023.
The 2023 TVRS Scheme placed particular emphasis on projects that bring economic and social vibrancy to town centres in line with Government’s policies, making them better places to live, work, socialise and raise a family. In April of this year I was delighted to announce €20.4 million in funding for 82 successful projects under the scheme.
Earlier this year, I launched an additional suite of supports under TCF, which will provide an additional €4 million to support the broader efforts to regenerate town centres through a bottom-up approach. As part of these supports, I was delighted to announce €2.6 million in funding to support 53 Project Development Measure projects under the umbrella of the TVRS.
The priorities for the 2024/25 TVRS are currently under review to inform the next iteration of the scheme which I would plan to launch before the end of this year.
