Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 November 2020
38. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the commitment to expand the town and village renewal scheme to bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use and promote residential occupancy as outlined in the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34146/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government includes a commitment for an expanded Town and Village Renewal Scheme to bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use and promote residential occupancy.
In October 2018, my Department launched a Town Centre Living Initiative to explore in a holistic way how to encourage increased residential occupancy in rural towns and villages. The pilot focused on 6 towns with different characteristics in different parts of the country.
An independent report on the pilot Town Centre Living Initiative was published on 22nd June 2020. The report outlines the approach taken by each town and identifies the key issues required to encourage increased town centre living and the repurposing of vacant properties for residential purposes.
The report also highlighted the value of developing a shared vision or masterplan for individual towns if they are to be attractive places in which to live. In that regard, I have secured an additional €2 million in Budget 2021 as part of the expanded Town and Village Renewal Scheme which will be used to support the development of these plans.
An Inter-Departmental Group has also been established which will consider all of the suggested actions in the report on the Town Centre Living initiative, as well as progressing the commitment in the Programme for Government to develop a Town Centre First approach to the regeneration of our towns and villages. The Group, which will hold its first meeting next week, will be chaired jointly by my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
