Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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70. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the town and village programme allocations for 2017; and if he plans to continue with the scheme in 2018. [1485/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched in April last year, with a focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages.

In October 2017, I approved funding of €21.6 million for 281 projects in rural towns and villages under the scheme.  Details of the projects funded are available on my Department’s website at: http://drcd.gov.ie/subheader1/town-village-renewal-scheme/. 

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme forms an important part of the Action Plan for Rural Development and has the potential to stimulate economic recovery and job creation in towns and villages across rural Ireland.  A number of the projects approved under the 2017 scheme focus on the development of enterprise centres and digital hubs which will have a positive impact on local economies.

I intend to launch a further round of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in the first half of 2018, with an emphasis again this year on supporting projects which demonstrate strong economic impacts.