Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
6. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if additional funding streams are planned in 2026 to support community facilities, town centre renewal and rural infrastructure in the Dublin Fingal region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53137/26]
View answerMy department has a number of schemes which provide relevant supports in Fingal for community facilities, town centre renewal and rural infrastructure.
For example, the Community Centre Investment Fund provides funding towards high quality, accessible, community spaces. I announced the most recent call earlier this year and the assessment of submissions is underway. Almost €1.4 million has been allocated to 34 projects in the Dublin Fingal region under previous iterations of the fund.
The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails and cycleways. Since 2020, funding of over €420,000 has been approved for 11 projects in the Fingal region. This year's scheme is currently open for applications.
The 2023-2027 LEADER programme provides support to rural communities under a broad range of themes, including Rural Infrastructure and Social Inclusion. €4.7 million is allocated to the Local Action Group in Dublin covering the rural areas of Dublin including eligible areas in Fingal.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme supports the revitalisation of rural towns and villages. Since 2016 over €210 million has been allocated to over 1,900 projects, with funding of over €1 million approved for 5 projects across Fingal. I intend to launch the next iteration of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme later this year.
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund supports large-scale projects, achieving sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. There is currently a call for proposals open under this Fund, and I would expect to be in a position to allocate funding towards the end of the year.
There are more funding opportunities now available for rural communities than ever before. I would encourage all rural communities to engage with their local authorities and to access the scheme information available on my department's website to see what funding stream might best suit their needs.
I am committed to ensuring that my department will continue to support high quality and transformational projects across rural Ireland in line with the objectives of Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy.
