Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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305. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will expand the way in which the urban regeneration and development fund can be utilised for use on public realm and community developments. [8439/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is currently providing part-funding to applicant-led projects, enabling more compact and sustainable development within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns.

To this end, the URDF has already allocated in excess of €1.6 billion under two separate calls for proposals since its inception in 2018. Providing assistance to 132 proposals, comprising of almost 400 subprojects, URDF projects are now active in every local authority area in the country providing very significant grant support for extensive public realm and community development projects.

On 30 January, I announced details regarding a third round of funding under the URDF. Supporting key objectives of Housing for All and Town Centre First, this round of URDF support has been specifically designed to addresses long term vacancy and dereliction across URDF eligible cities and town.

It is proposed that a revolving fund of up to €150m of URDF support will be made available for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties (residential and/or commercial) and to carry out any associated works needed to de-risk or improve the site to make it more attractive for re-use or sale.

The intention is that the fund would be replenished from the proceeds received from the end use/user thereby allowing the local authority to put in place a rolling programme to tackle long term vacancy and dereliction without recourse to borrowing and the associated financial risk.

My Department is currently engaging with the local authority sector on finalising individual allocations, project criteria and reporting arrangements, the details of which will be announced in due course.

While the third round of funding is specifically tailored to help deliver specific objectives of Housing for All, Town Centre First and the new Vacant Homes Action Plan, a fourth round of funding support will be made available later in 2023.

This further Call for proposals will revert to the heretofore wider scope of URDF projects, such as improved public realm and community development projects, which reflect the complex investment proposals required to transform key areas of our cities and towns. It will also provide an opportunity for a number of the ‘pipeline’ projects which have or will emerge from master planning exercises carried out under Calls 1 and 2 to be considered for funding. Support for a number of key settlements that have not yet received the level of funding required to support the growth proposed for them in the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies, will also be considered.

My Department will engage further with the local government sector on the nature and timing of a future Call after the third round of funding support has been finalised.