Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Lowry for raising Tipperary town in the House, the challenges faced there and the need for the Government to support the efforts to revitalise the town. We are very much aware of the challenges that are undoubtedly there. We continue to provide supports and investment to assist the area to tackle challenges and build a sustainable place to live and work. As the Deputy is aware, last Friday the Tánaiste and the Ministers of State, Deputy English and Deputy Troy, launched the mid-west regional enterprise plan to 2024. The Government has developed nine region-specific plans and we are investing up to €180 million to aid their implementation. The plans show a huge appetite to grow job opportunities and facilitate enterprise development throughout the mid-west region, including in Tipperary.

The plan concentrates on measures to encourage innovation, focus on sustainability, enable enterprise growth in regional cities, towns and rural communities, and increase the economic activity for local start-ups, microbusinesses and SMEs. Deputy Lowry has acknowledged the commitment that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has previously outlined for how a bypass of Tipperary town should be prioritised under the proposed upgrade of the Cahir to Limerick Junction roadway. We all acknowledge that this project is badly needed.

The Deputy referred to the task force that has been set up and operational for some time now with regard to Tipperary town. He will be well familiar with a number of the elements of the package that have already been introduced such as funding from the Heritage Council to support the production of a collaborative town centre health check for Tipperary town; funding across 2020 to 2022; ring-fenced discretionary funding sources to support the Tipperary town revitalisation project; and the allocation of €100,000 to Tipperary County Council as a contribution to the cost of recruiting a project manager for a three-year period to drive the implementation of action items arising from the town centre health check.

I acknowledge the point made by the Deputy about the level of unemployment in the town. This is a key priority for the Government to address through the enterprise plans. In addition, the Deputy will be aware that the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, announced funding of €120,000, which the Deputy has acknowledged, for a social inclusion programme co-ordinator for the Tipperary town revitalisation project. We very much look forward to seeing that implemented over the period ahead.

Our Rural Future has also launched, and it provides significant opportunities for Tipperary town and other towns across Ireland. I acknowledge the work of the Tipperary town task force in feeding into the town centre first strategy. There will be a third call shortly for funding under the urban regeneration and development fund. We will be inviting projects that are specifically focused on the implementation of the town centre first policy, and this will provide further opportunities for Tipperary town.

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