Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Department supports a programme of large-scale regeneration projects in Dublin, Cork and Limerick and smaller projects in Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk. In 2018, a total spend of €68 million in funding was provided under this programme. The specific amounts provided to the relevant local authorities were: Cork City Council, €4.4 million; Dublin City Council, €17.8 million; Kerry County Council, €3.4 million; Limerick City and County Council, €40.8 million; and Sligo County Council, €1.5 million.

Over the lifetime of Rebuilding Ireland, some €211 million is being made available under the national regeneration programme to support the direct delivery of over 1,000 new social housing homes. Together with providing a significant number of new homes, the projects seek also to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration. Projects being funded under the programme target the country’s most disadvantaged communities, including those defined by the most extreme social exclusion and high unemployment.

Taking account of that, social regeneration activities in the areas are also funded by my Department for the duration of each regeneration project.

In addition, the projects harness the input of key community groups helping to rebuild communities and strengthen community bonds. I have met some of them throughout the country and certainly in Limerick with the Deputy. The groups driving these projects represent a great addition to the work we are trying to do there.

By adopting this holistic approach, the aim is to ensure that each regeneration project is successful and sustainable in the long term. A good example of what is being achieved in this regard is evident in the Deputy's constituency, which the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and I have seen at first hand during our visits to some of the high quality housing projects undertaken as part of the Limerick regeneration programme in recent years.

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