Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
286. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether capital will be provided under the URDF or its successor to deliver the priority projects identified in the Leixlip Town Renewal Masterplan, including streets, public realm and site assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72708/25]
View answer303. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for the establishment of the Towns and Cities Infrastructure Investment Fund to replace the URDF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73051/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 303 together.
The agreed Programme for Government included a commitment to establish a new Towns and Cities Infrastructure Investment Fund to:
• invest in infrastructure, acquire land, assemble sites, de-risk sites;
• support the development of new transport orientated development towns as necessary; and
• continue and expand URDF (Urban Regeneration and Development Fund) investments in project to regenerate the public realm.
In that respect, and as set out in Delivering Homes, Building Communities, the initial €2 billion allocation to the URDF has been extended by a further €500 million to 2030 under the updated National Development Plan (NDP). Working alongside other funding streams, this additional funding will expand URDF-type investments to provide broader public investment to support urban regeneration projects and the development of sustainable communities.
The detailed arrangements for the implementation of this additional funding stream are currently under development following the completion of the NDP Review process. Further details should issue to the local authorities in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, the existing €2 billion URDF continues to drive delivery of the 132 successful applications for funding. It comprises of approximately 430 individual projects which are currently progressing through the various stages of the project lifecycle, along with a dedicated programme of acquisitions in each local authority to address long term vacancy and dereliction.
My Department will work closely with local authorities in respect of project development under the URDF. However, responsibility for the composition of any current and future applications for URDF funding, such as those in Leixlip, and their advancement through the various stages of planning, development and completion will remain, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant local authority.
