Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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189. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if advice will be provided on a matter (details supplied) in relation to developing a pilot town programme for retail development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16905/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am keenly aware of the critical role that the retail sector plays, as the largest private sector employer in Ireland, in contributing to the Irish economy.

The past year has been a difficult year for all businesses, including retailers. The impact of both the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit have posed significant challenges for businesses and it is vital that businesses continue to develop their resilience in the face of these and future challenges.

Addressing town centre renewal has been a focus of the Retail Forum, which my colleague Minister Damien English chairs, and in 2017 it developed ‘A Framework for Town Centre Renewal’ setting out a practical step by step action plan for stakeholders to work collaboratively to enhance their local town or village.

As you are aware, the Programme for Government has committed in outline to the development of a Town Centre First (TCF) policy which is being led by the Department of Community and Rural Development and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

In accordance with this commitment, a TCF inter-Departmental Group (IDG) has now been established to consider the regeneration of our towns and villages. My Department is participating on the IDG and the Retail Forum has established a Retail and Town Centre First Initiative Working Group to explore ways in which the Retail Forum can support this initiative.