Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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692. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the scheme which is planned to encourage persons to take up residential occupancy of premises in towns and villages as part of the action plan for rural development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19244/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, I launched an enhanced Town and Village Renewal Scheme on 13 April 2017. This Scheme will focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages. A fund of €20 million has been made available under the Scheme to support the rejuvenation of up to 300 rural towns and villages over the next 15 months.  The closing date for applications is . I strongly believe that if we want to breathe life back into our rural towns and villages, we need to support more people to live in town and village centres.  In this context, I plan to launch a pilot scheme in the second half of the year to encourage residential occupancy in rural towns and villages.

Details of this initiative are being finalised in consultation with relevant Departments. The pilot will examine ways in which properties that are currently not in use in town and village centres can be restored or renovated to allow them to be used for residential purposes.