Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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864. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the supports available for local authorities like Kildare County Council, in developing 'Town Centre First Plans'; how these plans will be funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42577/24]

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 well-being and development.

In December 2021, funding of €2.6 million was announced to support the development of 26 Town Centre First (TCF) Town Plans. These community-based plans are produced by individual Town Teams, drawn from local community and business representatives, and are helping communities develop a vision for their town and identify viable projects to realise that vision. This first phase of TCF plans are now complete and have moved onto project delivery phase. This includes a Town Plan for Clane which can be viewed on the TCF website at www.towncentrefirst.ie.

In February last, a new TCF suite of supports was launched with an additional allocation of €4.5 million through three funding measures, which will help regenerate town centres through a bottom-up approach. This includes an allocation of €30,000 for the development of a second phase of 26 TCF Plans, which includes Castledermot, Co. Kildare.

The 2024 suite of supports also includes a funding allocation towards the establishment and development of Town Teams nationwide. In Kildare this includes Town Teams in Monasterevin, Kilcullen and Ballymore Eustace and these teams are being established with the support of the Council’s dedicated ‘Town Regeneration Officer’ who is funded by my Department under TCF.

I also recently announced funding for 53 successful community projects under TCF. Clane was awarded funding towards preparing a development plan to expand and improve existing recreational routes in the town. This project is progressing to delivery as a direct result of the TCF Town Plan produced for Clane, showing the benefits of the Town Centre First policy and the positive impact it is having on our rural towns and villages. Monasterevin also received funding to progress a proposal to redevelop a space in the town centre which is currently car dominated.

On a wider basis, my Department administers a range of measures to support the revitalisation and regeneration of rural towns and villages including the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF). Calls for Proposals are periodically issued to local authorities who can then submit proposals in line with priorities identified in Town Centre First Plans.

All successful projects and towns supported under the TCF suite of supports are available to view on the Department's website, which can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/473d3-town-centre-first-policy/.