Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 May 2026
128. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to expand the town and village renewal scheme to support suburban Dublin villages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38003/26]
View answerIn line with commitments in Our Rural Future, my department supports a wide range of strategic capital investment schemes, ringfenced under the Rural Development Investment Programme, to transform rural towns and villages making them thriving places to live, work, and raise families. These schemes include for example, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, LEADER and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme was introduced in 2016 and is designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme, more than €210 million has been allocated to over 1,900 projects. Delivered in partnership with local authorities, it primarily targets funding at rural areas with populations of less than 10,000 people though towns with populations of up to 15,000 are eligible where the application is of high quality, cost-effective and would provide significant local benefits.
I am anxious to ensure that the design of schemes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme ensures that we are using available funding in the most efficient and effective manner. With this in mind, the terms and conditions of each scheme are reviewed before each call for proposals. It is my intention to launch the next iteration of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme later this year and in advance of the launch I will examine the approach to eligible towns, including suburban Dublin villages as referenced by the Deputy.
It is also of note that, under the umbrella of the Town Centre First policy, funding is also available to local authorities to support larger and more urban settlements. This includes the Thrive scheme and the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund which is funded by the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
