Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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39. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role her Department is taking in the Town Centres First policy initiative. [9263/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Town Centre First Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. It supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland which is integral to our national economic, social, cultural and environmental wellbeing and development.

My Department co-chairs the National Oversight and Advisory Group for Policy with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This Group will oversee delivery of the policy and ensure there is clear stakeholder visibility in relation to implementation. The Group met for the first time in December and is due to meet again shortly.

The establishment of the National Implementation Office is a key to the success of the policy, and this structure is now in place. The Office supports Town Regeneration Officers in driving implementation at a local level and coordinates stakeholder engagement.

As well as providing policy leadership, my Department is supporting the development of Town Centre First Plans under the policy. I approved funding of €2.6m in December 2021 for an initial phase of 26 towns across the country. These initial plans are due for completion in June this year and I expect to announce a further call for towns to develop their Town Centre First Plan later this year.

Central to the Town Centre First approach is the range of support funding in place, including this Department’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme. Last December, I announced €27 million in funding to combat dereliction and breathe new life into rural towns and villages under the 2022 Scheme.

In addition, last November I announced funding of €115m for regeneration projects across rural towns under this Department's Rural Regeneration and Development Fund for 2023. These projects focus on combating vacancy and dereliction by regenerating iconic town centre buildings such as old hotels, banks, schools, and courthouses and are thus central to the Town Centre First approach.

My Department remains committed to the success of the Town Centre First policy to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages as set out in Our Rural Future.