Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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429. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the grants for refurbishing old buildings in rural communities that were announced in the Action Plan for Rural Development will be available; the details of the scheme; the grant assistance which will be available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11922/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Rural Development, which was launched on 23 January, contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to increase their tourism potential. As part of Budget 2017, I have secured funding of €12 million for an enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme this year. I intend to launch the first phase of this scheme in the coming weeks, with a focus on improving the economic development of our towns and villages. Full details of the initiative will be available when the scheme is launched.

I also intend to launch a second phase of the scheme later this year. This will be a pilot project to encourage residential occupancy in rural towns and villages. My intention is that the scheme will be targeted at owner-occupiers and will assist with the cost of bringing buildings back into use for residential purposes only. The pilot will be launched in the second half of the year, when details of the scheme have been finalised in consultation with relevant Departments. Full details of the criteria to apply will be announced when the pilot is launched.