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

I thank Deputy Lowry. I listened to Michael Murray from North Tipperary Development Company on the radio this morning. My Department supports its work. When you hear about the work North Tipperary Development Company is doing, you find out that it is helping Ukrainians and international protection applicants with training and employment supports. It set up a Roscrea welcome group and is working with local residents to host coffee mornings and play days. I believe Mr. Murray said that a special Ukrainian commemoration day is coming up. These community-led supports can make such a difference in terms of allaying fears and concerns. Last night on television, we all saw women in Roscrea bringing toys for the children who arrived there and I have to say fair play to them.

My Department has invested more than €7.8 million in Roscrea in recent years. I have a list of projects we have supported such as the Lions Club, the Roscrea scouts community hall and Roscrea Tennis Club. We have funded new walkways and greenways. Deputy Lowry, together with Deputy Cahill, has been in contact with me about the REACH project in Roscrea, which will see the development of a new enterprise hub. As the cost of that project has increased due to inflation, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have approved the additional funding that was requested to enable that project to proceed. Deputies Lowry and Cahill were in contact with me concerning the project well before Christmas and in the summer. It is a €3 million project that will make a big difference to the town in terms of job creation.

We have been engaging in different parts of the country through the local development companies. I was at an event in my own county on Monday, where the local development company is engaging with the Roma community. A large number of members of the Roma community live in Carrickmacross and great work is happening on the ground in terms of getting them to understand our norms and helping us to understand their cultures. This is something that needs to be done on the ground. We should not fear these people because they are here and have come from very difficult circumstances and many of them want to make a new life here and take up employment.

The Taoiseach has tasked Ministers with developing proposals to support areas that have taken in large numbers of Ukrainians and international protection applicants. I announced €50 million last year for projects under the community recognition fund. Many applications have come in under that. These will be facilities that will enhance the areas that have experienced a significant increase in their population because of the accommodation of new people coming in.

I am engaging with the Minister for public expenditure on funding a further round of that programme to support towns such as Roscrea. I hope to have agreement on that shortly.

Any proposals need to come from the ground up, from the local community in Roscrea, because it is the people on the ground who know what they need. My Department will work with Tipperary County Council on this. There have been some initial discussions as regards the idea of a community hotel. The Sliabh Beagh Hotel in Monaghan has operated on a community-run basis for many years. It works extremely well. Deputy Carthy is very familiar with the good work that goes on there. That has been mentioned. All I can say to Deputy Lowry is that we are happy to work with Tipperary County Council on this as well.

Finally, my Department funded a town centre first plan in Roscrea some time ago. One of the key recommendations in that plan was developed in collaboration with the local community, and that was the redevelopment of one of the vacant hotels in the town.

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