Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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85. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the progress of the town and village renewal scheme. [53399/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is a key intervention designed to rejuvenate small rural towns and villages throughout Ireland, thus delivering on some of the key priorities contained in Our Rural Future.

Since the launch of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in 2016, over €113 million has been allocated to more than 1,400 projects across Ireland. During these years funding of over €4m has been provided to County Meath under the Scheme providing for projects like the development of village square in Kilcloon and public realm works in Nobber.

Under Budget 2022, €17 million was allocated for the standard Town and Village Scheme, an increase of €2 million on 2021. The 2022 Scheme prioritised tackling vacancy in towns and villages, creating parks and recreational amenities, remote working and making our town and village centres more vibrant and attractive places to live and work.

It also prioritised projects that brought vacant and derelict buildings and sites back into use as multipurpose spaces. Multipurpose use includes enterprise spaces, arts, tourism, youth hubs and other community uses.

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is also a key intervention under Town Centre First Policy Framework which contains a range of actions designed to achieve key objectives such as social and economic revival in towns, the provision of housing, as well as addressing challenges like vacancy and derelict buildings.

I am pleased to confirm that I have secured an additional €2m in funding under Budget 2023 for the Scheme, with €19m allocated.