Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell. I thank him for coming to the House to deal with this Commencement matter, which relates to Dundrum town centre, rather than the commercial shopping centre that many people know Dundrum for.I am talking about the fabric, the community and the existing town that is Dundrum. For those who do not know, Dundrum is the second major town centre within the local authority administrative area of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown so it is a major town centre zoning, and sometimes people forget about that. Dún Laoghaire is divided, of course, by a motorway, and these are two very significant town centres but the pace of change and, certainly, community and civic space and facilities is at a far slower rate on that side of the county and, yet, they are very big ratepayers. I am asking for an update on the issue of when it is expected that the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, for Dundrum will be approved. More importantly, the bit I really want to find out more about is if the Minister of State will indicate the level of engagement with the executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. I am aware, of course, that the towns and cities regeneration investment fund has now replaced the URDF so things are moving. There is currently an application process. I understand 1 May is roughly when that is going to close.

Dundrum, as I said, is the second major town centre in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. It has a particularly pressing need for a civic centre incorporating a new, modern library. There is a case for capital funding to be made available for building this major piece of social infrastructure for Dundrum in south County Dublin in the upcoming round of the founding that is due to come about, with the closing in May as I have already said. Dundrum is densely populated and at the heart of a large and fast growing population with a very significant number of new homes with houses and apartments to a very high density. The demand is really there for good quality, public realm, civic, cultural and heritage space and the potential that brings. Significant housing developments have been going on there. Much will be led by the Land Development Agency and we know, of course, it has entire control of the former Central Mental Hospital site with a master plan for a very significant amount of development, which is in line with Government policy and therefore, you would imagine, would have the full support and backing of the Government. Where we have higher densities, we have got to look imaginatively and fund public or civic realm and civic space, which is really important. The present Carnegie library, which is the middle of the town, is restricted in terms of space, structure, accessibility and capability for providing the resource necessary for this particular area.

I stress that it has the overall support of the TDs representing that constituency, including the Minister of State, Deputy Neale Richmond, who has been particularly vocal and to the fore, as have the Independent councillors and all councillors there. I would particularly like to acknowledge the work of Independent councillor Anne Colgan, who has been instrumental at the very heart of the Imagine Dundrum concept. It is clear to say that all parties and none, be it on the council and in the Oireachtas, are working very closely and collaboratively to bring about this investment. There is a need and a rationale for this investment. It needs to be put together and driven. Therefore, the case I am really making is for an indication of support but also the engagement with the necessary Dáil stakeholders in relation to the local authority. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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Before the Minister of State starts, I wish to welcome our visitors to Leinster House. I hope they are enjoying it. It is a very interesting place. I hope they will be back someday.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I have a few more years to do here myself.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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Do they have homework?

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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Some of them do not look like they are of homework age. I am probably being ageist there. If they do have homework, they are off it for the day.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the guests to the Chamber.

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. The Minister recently announced a new towns and cities regeneration investment fund, which Senator Boyhan has alluded to. While replacing the URDF, existing funding for URDF projects already approved will be incorporated into it, with a focus on supporting policies such as town centre first and city task forces, as well as integrated urban regeneration. The new fund will continue to deliver projects that are transformative and impactful in nature, contributing to the wider regeneration of the five cities and eligible towns.The Senator made reference to the closing date under the current call under the town centre first and city task forces. The deadline date for the new fund is 1 May of this year. The Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Department would certainly welcome a suitable application from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in respect of this.

I will recap on the URDF funding for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council projects. Under call 1 of the URDF, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council received approval for four projects, with a funding commitment of €22.6 million. One of these projects was the development of an action plan for the Dundrum community cultural and civic hub, which was published by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in May 2020. Under call 2, a further €4.3 million in support for Dundrum community cultural and civic hub was made available. The total funding approved under the URDF to date to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council comes to €76.1 million.

Under URDF call 2 on the Dundrum project, given the funding allocation available, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has chosen to focus on the public realm elements of the project. Following a number of engagements with the project team in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council with the Department, it recently submitted a preliminary business case for the Dundrum interchange and civic plaza project. The preliminary business case is currently being reviewed in line with the requirements of the infrastructural guidelines for approval gate 1, AG1, or approval in principle. This review is expected to take a few more weeks to complete subject to any issues arising. Once again, this approval will allow Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to progress with the detailed design, planning and procurement process. Thereafter, and while Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council will be required to submit an updated cost plan at pre-tender stage, the project is expected to proceed directly to tender. A further detailed submission will be required at final business case stage once the tender process is near its completion.

My Department will continue to work closely with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on this project and all other projects in its current URDF programme. As with all local authorities, relevant officials meet at least three times per year with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and more often when necessary. However, the advancement of other projects through various stages of planning, development and completion, as well as the subject matter of funding applications is, in the first instance, a matter for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. In essence, it is obvious to all that this funding needs to come forward. In summary, the strong rationale for this investment has been validated in the community, cultural and civic action plan for Dundrum by the provision, as the Minister of State said already in his response, of €4 million from earlier URDF funding. Basically, there has been a substantial amount of money put into this project and this concept. We need to get it from the concept up. We could not surely turn our backs on that sort of investment and move away.

I am confident that the TDs and Ministers in that constituency, of all parties are none, are fully behind it. All the local authority members are behind it. I want to acknowledge, of course, Mr. Frank Curran, chief executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. They are all committed. There is no reason it should not happen. It makes sense and is in line with Government policy. Higher densities, tighter-knit communities and less, shall we say, private open space as opposed to public open space, necessitate good strong cultural and educational play, sports and recreation facilities and, of course, the cultural aspect is very important in this particular project. I wish it well. I thank the Minister of State for his detailed and informative response. I will share it with the elected members of the council this afternoon.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important matter, which I am taking behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. It gives me the opportunity to reiterate the support my Department has been pleased to be able to provide for this critically important regeneration project for regeneration in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in general. In that respect, I will also inform Senator Boyhan that funding supports for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown also include €43.2 million for public access supports in Cherrywood.

Furthermore, the Minister, Deputy Browne, and his Department would welcome a suitable application from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for funding under the new fund, which, as the Senator referenced, is currently open for such applications with a closing date for submissions of 1 May 2026.In the meantime, we look forward to seeing the works progress in Dundrum along with the other key URDF projects in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State. We will have to wait for the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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There is a vote in the Dáil.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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There is a pairing arrangement.