James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way the town centre first policy will support the development of more accessible and safe public spaces in our towns. [8767/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The recently published “Town Centre First - A Policy Approach for Irish Towns” represents a major new policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres.  It contains 33 actions which will give our towns the tools and resources they need to become more viable and attractive places in which to live, work, socialise and run a business.

The Town Centre First policy recognises that the needs of each town are different and acknowledges that a “one size fits all” approach will not deliver the outcomes wanted. The policy sets out a framework to facilitate and resource each town to chart their own future through a tailored plan, developed by a collaborative Town Team, and supported by their Local Authority.

The policy is underpinned by significant levels of public investment spread across major Government schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), Croí Conaithe (Towns) Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

The Policy will assist each town, through a Town Team supported by the Local Authority, to design, develop and implement a plan to make their towns more vibrant and attractive places to live and work. This could include the development of accessible and safe public spaces in the respective towns. The regeneration of our public spaces is identified as a key opportunity in the Town Centre First Policy.

A National Town Centre First Office, supported by a network of Town Regeneration Officers,  will drive the delivery of many of the recommendations outlined in the policy and support the co-ordinated roll-out of the policy by Local Authorities and Town Teams. 

I am confident that this new Town Centre First approach will have hugely positive impacts on towns across rural Ireland.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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14. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the criteria that each local authority must meet when developing their town centre first plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8766/22]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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16. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 812 of 14 December 2021, when the 26 Town Centre First plans will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8497/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 16 together.

In December last, I announced €2.6 million in funding to deliver Town Centre First Plans in 26 towns across the country. The development of such plans is a central part of the Government’s overall Town Centre First policy which was launched earlier this month.

The funding will support each local authority, working with a collaborative Town Team, to develop a be-spoke Town Centre First Plan to guide the development of each town. As part of the initiative, each local authority will be provided with €100,000 to support the development of a unique vision for the town which will also outline specific interventions required to deliver on this vision. Each Local Authority has been provided with guidance as regards the contents of the Plans, which aligns with the details outlined in the Town Centre First policy.

The Town Centre First Plans should be developed collaboratively with local Town Teams involving community and business, as well as public and private stakeholders. It is envisaged that the Plans will cover the importance of “place-making”, town centre living, and the social and economic purpose of the town. They should respond to emerging opportunities such as those linked to remote working, climate action and digitalisation. The Plans will also be central to addressing vacancy and dereliction in these locations.

In addition to developing the plan, the funding can be used to cover any underlying analysis that must be undertaken to inform the development of the plan, capacity building required locally for the Town Team, or the initial delivery of some small interventions in the town, where the budget allows.

Local authorities have been requested to develop and finalise plans, and to utilise funding, within 18 months.