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

I thank the Deputy. Nobody will be in any doubt where the Deputy comes from; she is definitely from Carlow.

The town and village renewal scheme was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme, more than €156 million has been allocated to in excess of 1,700 projects throughout Ireland. In total, Carlow County Council has been allocated funding of €6,282,465 for a total of 63 projects under the various iterations of the scheme.

Scheme priorities are reviewed at the end of each scheme year to ensure funding is targeted effectively to support vibrant and attractive communities and to respond to changing needs and opportunities. I also listen to the feedback I get from Deputies because if we can improve the scheme and make it better, we are always happy to do so. The 2023 scheme has a renewed focus on town centre economic and social vibrancy. This will be achieved through projects focusing on town centre regeneration, enhancing our streetscapes and bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into use as community multipurpose spaces through refurbishment and renovation.

The 2023 scheme is now closed and the competitive assessment process is ongoing. I expect to be in a position to announce the successful projects before the end of quarter 1 of 2024. However, I emphasise that the town and village renewal scheme is heavily subscribed and funding will be allocated based on suitability against scheme criteria, the geographical spread of projects, the quality of the proposed projects and the available budget.

See this speech in context