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

I do not think my Department can do anything in regard to perfecting title on properties but what we can do is support individuals through the Croí Cónaithe fund administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. That is a popular fund. The threshold has now been increased to €50,000 for a vacant property and €80,000 for a derelict property. However, it does not have to be derelict either. It can be vacant or gone past use. They can be repurposed through the RRDF. That is a good fund for local authorities to acquire and repurpose buildings. Whether they are repurposed into a library or a remote working hub, there are many opportunities. Since the town and village renewal scheme started in 2016, County Mayo has received €6.3 million in funding. That is considerable funding. Under the RRDF, which in fairness Deputy Ring set up and got the money for, €1 billion has been provided. That is a lot of money. It is paying off Mayo has received €31.8 million since it was set up. A great deal of money is being invested in rural areas and rural towns and villages. I travel up and down the country looking at this and it is really paying off. There is a new air of optimism in rural Ireland. We deserve it.

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