Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The town centre first approach is writ large across the programme for Government. It has since been put at the heart of the Our Rural Future document and Housing for All. Our towns and villages offer a serious quality of life proposition, but only if supported with good public services, a proper public realm and attractive housing solutions. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, announced this morning the first phase of funding for the development of town centre first plans, amounting to €2.6 million for 26 towns across the Twenty-six Counties. I am very pleased to see Portlaw in County Waterford included in the first phase of funding. The town is a very good fit. Its community enhancement committee is doing great work on the ground. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, will agree with me on that. How is it intended for this round of funding to be put to work? More broadly, when will we see the town centre first policy published to underpin this work into the future?

See this speech in context