Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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229. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she plans to further enhance the town and village renewal scheme in order to improve and enhance the standard of living for persons in rural Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26708/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Our Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development Policy 2021 – 2025, represents the Irish Government’s blueprint for the sustainable development of rural Ireland. It sets out a vision for a thriving rural Ireland, and to that end establishes a strategic framework for the delivery of capital investment under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. The delivery of these actions will enhance the wellbeing and quality of life for people living in our rural towns and villages.

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme, introduced in 2016, is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate Ireland's towns and villages. Since the launch of the scheme over €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects across Ireland.

As committed to under Our Rural Future and in line with the Town Centre First Policy, scheme 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. Amongst other positive impacts, the Scheme has helped bring vacant dwellings back into use as multi-purpose community spaces, improved shopfronts, supported town/village marketing, and enhanced green spaces.

In 2021, I introduced a new Project Development Measure to assist local authorities to contribute to a pipeline of significant, well-developed projects which might be subsequently progressed to construction stage, subject to the availability of further funding. In 2022, in recognition of the urgent need to transform and regenerate town centres I introduced a new Building Acquisition Measure which enabled local authorities to immediately acquire derelict or vacant buildings, with the intention of using these projects for town regeneration purposes and this was continued again in 2023.

The 2023 Scheme had a renewed focus on town centre economic and social vibrancy which includes the development of recreational spaces/amenities in town centres to make them vibrant hubs for community enjoyment and to increase footfall for local businesses. In April of this year I announced funding of €20.4 million for 82 successful project under the scheme.

The 2024 Town and Village Renewal Scheme is scheduled for launch in October of this year, and scheme priorities will again be reviewed in advance to ensure that funding provided will improve and enhance the standard of living for persons in rural Ireland.