Written answers
Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Community Development Projects
Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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1483. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide all town centre first supports to County Carlow and County Kilkenny, including town regeneration officer posts, town plans funded, implementation grants, location town, approval date, amount approved, and amount paid, with totals by county, from 2022 to date in 2025, in tabular form. [48805/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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In December 2021, €2.6 million in funding was made available by my Department to develop 26 Town Centre First (TCF) Town Plans. These community-based plans are produced by a local Town Team, drawn from local community and business representatives, to set out a vision and identify regeneration opportunities, direct investment and maximise the unique strengths and assets of their town.
Subsequently, a TCF €4.04m Suite of Supports was announced in February 2024. This has provided funding under 3 measures to;
- develop a second phase of 26 TCF Town Plans ;
- support the establishment of Town Teams; and
- fund a ‘Project Development Measure’ to support local authorities in their development of a pipeline of 53 projects nationwide.
Further details of the TCF Policy and funding awarded can be found at Gov.ie at the following address: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development-and-the-gaeltacht/publications/town-centre-first-policy/.
Excluding the TRO salary information referred to above, details of funding allocated and paid out by my Department under TCF in Carlow and Kilkenny can be found in the table below.
County | Town or Village | Scheme | Project | Funding Allocated | Funding Utilised To Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlow | Tullow | 2021 – Phase 1 | TCF Town Plan | €100,000 | €100,000 |
| Carlow | Bagenalstown* | 2024 TCF Suite of Supports | Measure 2 - TCF Town Plan | €30,000 | €0 |
| Carlow | Tullow* | 2024 TCF Suite of Supports | Measure 3 - Project Development Measure | €41,146 | €0 |
| Carlow Totals: | €171,146 | €100,000 | |||
| Kilkenny | Urlingford | 2021 – Phase 1 | TCF Town Plan | €100,000 | €47,765 |
| Kilkenny | Graiguenamanagh* | 2024 TCF Suite of Supports | Measure 2 – TCF Town Plan | €30,000 | €15,000 |
| Kilkenny | Castlecomer | 2024 TCF Suite of Supports | Measure 1 – Town Team Support Fund | €10,000 | €9,644 |
| Kilkenny | Mooncoin | 2024 TCF Suite of Supports | Measure 1 – Town Team Support Fund | €10,000 | €10,000 |
| Kilkenny | Callan | 2024 TCF Suite of Supports | Measure 1 – Town Team Support Fund | €10,000 | €9,460 |
| Kilkenny | Callan* | 2024 TCF Suite of Supports | Measure 3 - Project Development Measure | €49,950 | €0 |
| Kilkenny | Paulstown* | 2024 TCF Suite of Supports | Measure 3 - Project Development Measure | €49,950 | €0 |
| Kilkenny Totals: | €259,900 | €91,869 |
* Note: These projects are ongoing and drawdown is expected upon submission of claims by local authorities.
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