Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 December 2016
401. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the funding allocations to projects under the town and village schemes by county; the total allocation to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39753/16]
View answerLast August, I launched the Town and Village Renewal Scheme with an allocation of €10 million in funding for this year. A sum of €380,000 was made available to each of the 26 counties for 2016 under this initial phase of the scheme. Local Authorities, in conjunction with local communities and businesses, were invited to submit up to 8 proposals to my Department for approval.
Following an assessment of the proposals received, I announced on 4 November details of 172 towns and villages which were approved for funding under this year’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme. The total amount allocated through these approvals is €9.865 million. A full list of towns benefitting under the scheme, by county, is available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.ahrrga.gov.ie/more-than-170-towns-and-villages-benefit-from-funding-under-e10m-town-and-village-renewal-scheme-minister-humphreys/.
I have secured increased funding of €12 million for an enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme as part of Budget 2017. This represents a trebling of the original 2016 baseline allocation of €4 million. Under the 2017 scheme, I intend to run a pilot to encourage increased residential occupancy in town and village centres.
