Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Earlier this year, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage launched the Croí Cónaithe fund. The fund is initially focused on supporting the refurbishment of vacant homes in regional towns and villages and is a key funding support under the town centre first policy which was jointly developed by my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The publication of town centre first was a key deliverable under Our Rural Future.

The fund is being delivered by local authorities and will provide new choices for people to live in towns and villages throughout Ireland, initially through the provision of a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, with priority given to areas where the level of vacancy or dereliction is high. There are more than 500 towns and villages in Ireland with a population of more than 400 people. It is intended that the Croí Cónaithe fund will apply in all such towns, and also to some smaller villages. Funding is not currently available for towns within the city and suburb boundaries of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.

Each local authority should prioritise consideration of applications in town and village locations based on the following criteria: the overall levels of vacancy and dereliction within the town or village; alignment with policies of the relevant development plan, including areas identified for regeneration; and the role that the fund might play as part of wider town regeneration, especially in the light of emerging town centre first plans. I am committed to ensuring the continued roll out of the town centre first policy will work to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages as set out in Our Rural Future.

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