€15 million pledged for rural towns and villages
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme will support dozens of projects around the country.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development recently unveiled a €15 million scheme aimed at breathing new life and vitality to towns and villages nationwide. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme will support dozens of projects around the country with a focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction and bringing additional footfall into the centre of towns.
The initiative will offer grants to facilitate the creation of outdoor projects, including plazas, parks, playgrounds, and green spaces. Local authorities will receive funding to acquire land for regeneration purposes. Additionally, the scheme will support farmer and artisan markets while reserving funds for projects within our offshore island communities.
Since the launch of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in 2016, €154 million has been allocated to more than 1,700 projects. It typically funds rural towns and villages with a population of up to 10,000 people. Larger rural towns with a population of up to 15,000 people may be eligible where the application is particularly strong and the project will have a significant impact on the town in question.
The scheme is administered through the local authorities, who are required to work closely with local communities and local businesses to develop and implement proposals.
Speaking at the launch of the scheme, Heather Humphreys Minister for Rural and Community Development said: “I’m really pleased today to launch the 2023 Town and Village Renewal Scheme. To date, the scheme has had a hugely positive impact in rural communities in every single county. It has supported the regeneration and repopulation of our towns and villages – making them better places to live, work, invest and raise a family.”
She said that there will be a significant emphasis on addressing vacancy and dereliction issues. Additionally, outdoor initiatives, like the creation of new parks, playgrounds, and green spaces will receive strong backing. Priority will also be afforded to projects that align with the objectives of Our Rural Future, Town Centre First and Our Living Islands.
“Our Rural Future, the Government’s policy for rural development, is very much focused on supporting the regeneration of our rural towns and villages,” said Minister Humphreys.
“Additionally, the Town Centre First Policy is a cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. This year’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme has been closely aligned with these two policies – and it will directly support our towns to be more attractive and economically and socially vibrant. I am strongly encouraging local authorities to work closely with communities to put forward projects that are ambitious and will make a positive difference,” she added.
She also highlighted that some small towns and villages are yet to benefit from the scheme and encouraged all these communities, especially, to consider applying for funding in the 2023 scheme.