Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The mission of the Department of Rural and Community Development is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland.

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €156 million has been allocated to more than 1,700 projects across Ireland. The Scheme has supported towns and villages the length and breadth of the country.

TVRS is a key driver of the national Rural Development Policies, Our Rural Future, Our Living Islands, and the Town Centre First Policy. In line with the commitment in Our Rural Future , TVRS priorities are reviewed at the end of each scheme year to ensure that funding is targeted effectively to support vibrant and attractive communities and to respond to changing needs and opportunities.

The 2023 Scheme had a renewed focus on town centre economic and social vibrancy and regeneration. This will be achieved through projects focusing bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into use as community multi-purpose spaces through refurbishment and renovation. The assessment of projects under the 2023 Scheme is currently underway and an announcement will be made shortly.

Previous iterations of the scheme have prioritised proposals which have a clear positive economic impact on a town or village, and some of these projects have included the development of a pitch site for touring caravans, motor homes and tents. It is possible that projects such as these may be supported again in the future.

More generally, investment in tourism-related facilities would fall within the competence of my colleague, the Minister Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.