Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the work of the Action Plan for Rural Development specifically relating to the revitalisation of towns and villages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15417/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Rural Development includes a range of measures for delivery across a number of Government Departments and Local Authorities to support the revitalisation of rural towns and villages.  

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme, which is administered by my Department, is a key part of the package of supports.  The scheme was first introduced in the second half of 2016, and since then, €53 million has been allocated to over 670 projects throughout the country.

I have secured an allocation of €15 million for the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in my Department's budget for 2019, and I will be announcing details of the 2019 scheme shortly.

In addition, I launched a pilot scheme last October to identify ways to encourage more people to live in rural towns and villages.  Six rural towns are participating in the initial pilot initiative. 

Funding of up to €100,000 is being made available to each of the six towns to develop proposals to encourage town centre living.  It is envisaged that ideas which emerge from this process could lead to applications being made to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund to support the implementation of the proposals. 

The €1 billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund was launched last year as part of the Government's Project Ireland 2040 strategy.  This Fund provides an opportunity to deliver integrated and ambitious projects which will further support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages.