Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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342. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the Town Centres First policy applies to towns in urban settings. [7446/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Publication of a Town Centres First (TCF) policy is a commitment of the Programme for Government. It coordinates with established national policy objectives (in National Planning Framework and Our Rural Future) to address the decline in the health of our towns and sets out actions to regenerate and revitalise them.

The TCF policy was launched in Moate, Co. Westmeath on 4^thFebruary last and provides a co-ordinated whole-of-government approach to Town Centre Regeneration. The policy is primarily aimed at towns that have a population of more than 400 people, of which there are over 500 nationally of varying size and characteristics. Approximately 200 of these towns are regarded as 'urban' in line with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) definition of having a population of over 1,500 people in 2016.

There are also 5 cities in Ireland, defined as having an urban population of more than 50,000 people in 2016. The principles incorporated in the Town Centre First policy may also apply in the context of smaller villages and to parts of the five cities.

The policy specifically contains 33 Actions to progress the regeneration of towns and can be viewed at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/473d3-town-centre-first-policy/