Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
287. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how the Town Centre First policy and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) can be combined with the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) to advance town centre projects from plan to implementation, with clear key performance indicators and phasing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72709/25]
View answerThe Government’s ‘Town Centre First’ (TCF) Policy Approach was launched by my Department and the then Department of Rural and Community Development in 2022, and since then, a range of supports and measures to encourage more people to live, do business and visit our town centres have been introduced.
Using the Town Centre First approach, town centres are developed so that they become viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live and work in and to visit, while also supporting the retail and economic role of our towns. A network of Town Regeneration Officers in the local government sector assist the delivery of Town Centre First initiatives. These officers lead the local efforts, and collaborate with their colleagues and stakeholders to ensure an integrated approach is taken.
The Town Centre First policy lays the foundation for each town to develop their own plan-led path forward through a tailored Town Centre First Plan which is underpinned by a clear diagnosis of local strengths and challenges. This TCF Plan is driven by the local community and businesses as part of a Town Team who are be supported by Town Regeneration Officers and technical expertise within each Local Authority.
26 ‘Pathfinder’ towns were identified to prepare the first phase of TCF Plans and these were launched in February 2024. Further TCF Plans have been completed and are under preparation across the country in towns of varying sizes. These community based plans are identifying regeneration projects and initiatives for subsequent appropriate funding applications and delivery – projects for tackling vacant sites, creating community parks and river walkways, boosting SME and tourism, renovating historical landmarks, and attracting more people to live and work in our town centres.
Town Centre First and wider town generation is currently being supported by the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) with new regeneration investment funding in towns of over a €650m committed under the URDF programme. These capital projects focus on improvement to town centres and their environments such as public realm improvements, pedestrian infrastructure and amenities. Details of these projects are available at: [URDF Tracker] The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) operated by the Department of Rural and Community and the Gaeltacht is providing similar support for the implementation of Town Centre First projects for smaller towns and settlements nationally.
THRIVE (Town Centre First Heritage Revival) Scheme is a grant scheme of c. €120million for local authorities which is co-funded by the Government and the European Union and delivered under Ireland’s two ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Regional Programmes. The THRIVE Scheme provides funding for the preparation of Town Centre First Plans, strategies and project development work in towns (c. €5 million in total) to enable future capital funding applications to be made to Government for the identified projects in these plans. THRIVE also supports town regeneration through direct capital funding of €115 million in total for the implementation of identified heritage-related projects in town centres – with 19 projects currently being funded across the country.
Further details are available at:
www.nwra.ie/erdf/schemes/thrive/
southernassembly.ie/erdf-priority-3/thrive/
