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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 110 together.

The rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns, villages and rural areas across Ireland. The fund is central to achieving the objectives and key deliverables of Our Rural Future, the Government's five-year policy for rural Ireland. At the heart of Our Rural Future is a commitment to revitalising towns and villages across rural Ireland, making them more attractive places to live, work and raise a family. The projects supported by the fund assist in the regeneration of rural towns and villages by addressing vacancy and dereliction and positioning them for further growth through regeneration and town centre renewal. The fund also invests in strategic projects that contribute to further economic development in rural areas.

Calls for applications to the fund are sought under categories 1 and 2. Category 1 relates to large-scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place, which are ready to proceed. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for category 1 applications. Since the RRDF was established in 2018, funding of €395 million has been approved for 215 projects. When matching funding is included, the total value of these projects is worth over €542 million. Since my appointment as Minister for Rural and Community Development in June 2020, funding of over €100 million has been drawn down from the fund. A table setting out the monthly drawdowns since June 2020 has been attached as an appendix to this response.

The delivery of projects funded under the RRDF experienced significant delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, I am pleased to confirm that stronger progress is now being achieved. Thirty projects are complete. In addition, a further 81 projects are expected to be completed by the end of the year. A list of projects in each county scheduled to be completed in 2023 is attached to this response as an appendix for the information of the Deputies. I remain committed to ensuring that this vital funding can deliver real and transformative change in towns across rural Ireland. Underlying this is the need to ensure delivery on the ground. To this end, I have outlined to local authorities the priority that I assign to the delivery of these projects. I have asked my officials to ensure there is an ongoing process of engagement with local authorities.

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