Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development how her Department will work with local authorities to encourage them to apply for new funding for the town and village renewal scheme; if there will be a minimum submission requirement for each local authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49718/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since its launch in 2016, over €156 million has been allocated to more than 1,700 projects supporting towns and villages across the country.

As committed in Our Rural Future, Ireland's rural development policy, TVRS priorities are reviewed at the end of each scheme year to ensure that funding is targeted effectively to support vibrant and attractive communities.

This year's Scheme has a renewed focus on town centre economic and social vibrancy. This will be achieved through projects focusing on town regeneration, enhancing streetscapes and bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into use as community multi-purpose spaces through refurbishment and renovation.

The TVRS Scheme is administered through local authorities, who work closely with local communities and businesses to develop proposals that can make a lasting impact on rural towns and villages.

Under the 2023 TVRS there is no minimum submission requirement. However, local authorities are invited to submit up to 5 applications to the value of €1.5m per local authority. For areas with inhabited offshore island, 6 applications are permitted up to a maximum of €1.75 million.

The TVRS team in my Department engages systematically with local authorities and assists with any queries that may arise during the process of advertising, preparing and submitting applications to ensure the Scheme has the maximum impact.

The closing date for receipt of applications under the 2023 scheme was last Friday, 10th November 2023 and the assessment process of applications received has now commenced.