The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Over €210 million has been allocated to over 1,900 projects since the launch of the scheme.
Under the most recent round of funding, in December 2025, I was delighted to confirm funding of over €26.2 million of 116 projects under the 2025 Scheme. This saw Mayo County Council allocated almost €1.5 million for 6 projects in Castlebar (2), Béal an Mhuirthead, Ballina, the Neale, and Ballyhaunis. Since the inception of the Scheme, Mayo County Council has been allocated TVRS funding of almost €8.7 million for 79 projects.
In recognition of the urgent need to transform and regenerate town centres, a new Building Acquisition Measure (BAM) was introduced in 2022 under the umbrella of the TVRS to allow local authorities purchase vacant and derelict buildings for redevelopment into multipurpose spaces. This Measure continued in 2023 and in 2025. A total of 69 buildings and 8 pieces of land nationally were purchased for development as community assets to enable transformation and regeneration of town and village centres. Of this, three properties were purchased in County Mayo under the 2023 BAM for the refurbishment of derelict properties in Bellacorrick, Charlestown and Louisburgh, at a cost of €225,000.
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) supports the revitalisation of rural Ireland through large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. To date, the RRDF has allocated €613 million for 273 projects, including over €48.5 million to 21 projects located across County Mayo.
Under the most recent round of funding, in October 2025, I announced successful RRDF Category 2 projects with funding of over €20.5 million being allocated to 30 landmark regeneration projects. This included funding of c. € 2.35m for three projects Belmullet, Swinford and Inishturk in County Mayo. I can confirm my intention to launch a further call for proposals for larger scale Category 1 RRDF projects in the near future.
Examples of currently active RRDF projects supported in Mayo include the Phase 1 Regeneration of Sisters of Mercy Convent Site and Adjacent Lands in Westport (allocated €13.5 million), Newport Regeneration (allocated c. €6.5 million) and the Ballintubber Abbey Culture and Heritage Visitor Centre in Claremorris (allocated c. €5.8million).
Details of projects funded in Mayo under both the RRDF and TVRS are available on my Department’s website. I remain committed to ensuring that my Department helps to address issues of town regeneration across rural Ireland, in line with the policy objectives set out in the Town Centre First Policy and Our Rural Future.
