Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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269. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the promised national town centre first office; the timeline for the establishment of the office; the number of staff allocated to the office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12207/22]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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270. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the recruitment of a national director for town centre first; when he expects the position to be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12208/22]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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271. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the national oversight and advisory group for town centre first; the membership of the group; the terms of reference of the group; if the group has met to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12209/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 to 271, inclusive, together.

The Town Centre First (TCF) policy, jointly developed by my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development, sets out 33 actions which will provide a co-ordinated framework across established national policy objectives (in particular the National Planning Framework, Housing for All and Our Rural Future) to address the decline in the health of our towns and sets out actions to regenerate and revitalise them.

One of the key actions of the policy is the establishment of a TCF National Office to drive and coordinate the implementation of the policy across the whole Country.

The County and City Management Association will play a key role in delivering these structures and discussions with my Department are at an advanced stage in this regard.  On foot of these discussions, it is expected that the post of National TCF Co-ordinator, the key leadership post in the National TCF Office, will be advertised shortly for secondment at Director of Services level within the local government sector. 

Other posts within the National TCF Office will be established further to the finalisation of the key national implementation structures, but it is expected that the National Office will comprise a team of up to 5-6 people.

Appropriate governance and oversight structures to support the work of the National TCF Office will be developed through the National Oversight and Advisory Group. It is intended that this group will set the agenda, prepare a high level action plan and ultimately oversee the implementation of the overall TCF programme. This group will be made up with representation from local government/government departments, agencies & wider expert representation. It is intended that recruitment to this group will take place once the National TCF Office is established.