Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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716. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on funding for a project (details supplied); if the project has commenced through to the construction tender stage; the reason for the delays following the completion of the detailed design stage: the associated timeline for the work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10084/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 215 projects have been approved for funding of €395 million for projects costing €542 million.

Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place, and which are ready to proceed. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for Category 1 applications.

The Fund is central to achieving the objectives and key deliverables of "Our Rural Future" – the Government's five year policy for Rural Ireland. The projects supported by the Fund assist in the regeneration of rural towns and villages by addressing vacancy and dereliction, and positioning them for further growth through regeneration and town centre renewal. The Fund also invests in strategic projects that contribute to further economic development in rural areas.

The Ballintubber Abbey Culture and Heritage Visitor Centre project was awarded €2,677,352 under the second call for Category 1 applications to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in 2019.

The final design for this project was completed by private consultants engaged directly by Ballintubber Abbey Trust. In order to comply with public procurement requirements and to deliver the project through to completion under a Public Works Contract, an architect-led design team must be procured. Mayo County Council, the lead party for the project, expect to publish the tender for the design team in March 2023.

Once appointed the design team will prepare tender documents for the construction stage. Mayo County Council expects to publish the tender for the construction contract in Quarter 2 of 2023 and works are estimated to commence in Quarter 1 of 2024.