Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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865. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she can confirm if funding will be made available to support the necessary infrastructural improvements for projects such as the Kilcullen Market Square and Rathangan town renewal projects, which have previously been rejected for RRDF funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42579/24]

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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866. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the progress of the Shackleton Museum development in Athy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42580/24]

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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867. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will ensure that funding for Kildare’s public realm projects, such as the Barrow Blueway will be maintained, particularly given the increasing emphasis on green infrastructure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42582/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 865 to 867, inclusive, together.

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).

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 €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects across Ireland.

TVRS 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. Funding under the Scheme is awarded on a competitive basis, with all applications assessed for suitability against scheme criteria and objectives.

In 2018, my Department awarded TVRS funding to support projects which would see the development of Rathangan Market Square and Kilcullen Market Square in to multi-use spaces for their local communities. However, the Council subsequently advised that these projects would not proceed in the manner initially anticipated due a significant expansion in their planned scope, which saw a resulting increase in cost.

The Department’s Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) provides funding for the development and construction of large scale capital projects in towns, villages and rural areas across Ireland. Since 2018, funding of €584 million has been allocated to 243 projects.

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 ready to proceed. Category 2 provides grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for Category 1 applications.

I announced the last round of successful projects on the 13th May 2024. Whilst under that Call, I was delighted to provide further funding to Kildare County Council which saw a total RRDF allocation of €9m being made available to support the completion of the Barrow Blueway from Athy to Lowtown, Unfortunately the applications by the Council for projects in Kilcullen and Rathangan town centres were not successful in the competitive selection process.

Separately, a range of other Kildare RRDF projects, with funding of c. €13m, are being supported by my Department. This includes, for example, the Shackleton Museum project with funding of €5.2 million. The project, led by the Council will transform the former Town Hall in Athy into a world class museum dedicated to Ernest Shackleton. The project commenced construction in November 2023 and is estimated to be completed in Q2 2025.

My officials engage with, and are available to, local authorities to provide feedback in relation to scheme proposals and in relation to the preparation of future applications.

The Town and Village Renewal 2024/25 Scheme is scheduled to launch later this year and I would encourage the community groups to engage directly with their local authority in advance to discuss the submission of an application under the Scheme.

The next call for Category 2 RRDF applications is also scheduled to launch later this year.