Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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413. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of phase 2 of the town and village renewable scheme; her plans to launch a pilot scheme before it is rolled out further; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24772/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, an enhanced Town and Village Renewal Scheme for 2017 was launched on 13 April 2017 and will focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages. Funding of €20 million has been made available under the scheme, which will support up to 300 towns and villages over the next 15 months. The closing date for applications, which will be made to my Department through the Local Authorities, is 30 June 2017.As I have indicated previously, a pilot scheme to encourage residential occupancy in rural towns and villages, which will complement the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, will be launched in the second half of this year and will have a separate budget. The pilot will examine ways in which properties that are currently not in use in town centres can be renovated to allow them to be used for residential purposes. The scheme will be aimed at owner-occupiers.

Details of the scheme are being finalised in consultation with other relevant Departments and full particulars will be announced when the pilot scheme is launched later in the year.