Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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314. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will increase funding for Economic and Social Intervention Fund for the years 2026 and beyond, appreciating the need for the continuation of such funding in Limericks regeneration areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53729/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department currently supports a programme of large-scale regeneration projects in Limerick, Dublin and Cork. These regeneration projects target the most disadvantaged communities, and seek to address the challenges within these communities through a holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration.

The Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan was adopted by Limerick City Council in 2014. It included, in addition to substantial capital works, a programme of physical, social and economic interventions to be delivered by end 2023.

Some €36 million has been provided by my Department to date for social and economic interventions through the Economic and Social Intervention Fund (ESIF) element of the Plan. ESIF has supported local communities in Moyross, Ballinacurra Weston, St. Mary’s Park and Southill with seed funding for programmes related to Community, Education and Learning, Families and Youth at Risk, Employability and Work, and Health, Well Being and Aging Well.

It was not intended that such activities would be supported indefinitely. Rather support was provided on an initial seed funding basis, with interventions continuing beyond 2023 having to transition to alternative and more appropriate funding sources if they were to continue.

While the Plan concluded in 2023, my Department extended ESIF support into 2024 and 2025, with some €2.6 million and €2 million allocated for each year respectively. It is planned to continue to reduce funding gradually between 2026 to 2028, and to cease ESIF support completely from 2029.

In the meantime, Limerick City and County Council is expected to engage with other relevant funders and to continue to transition relevant initiatives to more appropriate and sustainable funding programmes.

A revised regeneration policy will be developed by my Department in the coming months. The revamped policy will likely prioritise core housing related remediation initiatives for older housing estates. A transitioned wind down of non-housing related activities under the regeneration programmes will be agreed with the relevant local authorities for the coming years.