Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 February 2022
469. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the criteria for determining which 26 town centres would be enhanced by town centre first funding in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7303/22]
View answerThe Government recently published Town Centre First - A Policy Approach for Irish Towns. This publications represents a major new policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. It contains 33 actions which will give our towns the tools and resources they need to become more viable and attractive places in which to live, work, socialise run a business.
The policy is underpinned by significant levels of public investment spread across major Government schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), Croí Conaithe (Towns) Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
For the first time, designated towns will gain their own dedicated Town Regeneration Officers, who will be crucial to driving future development. I was delighted to secure additional funding for these posts in Budget 2022.
In the first phase of support, an initial tranche of funding was made available last year to support 26 towns to produce their own Town Centre First Plans. Local authorities were invited to nominate a prioritised list of towns. In approving the lists submitted, my Department considered issues such as identified need, the readiness of towns in question to deliver a Town Centre First Plan, and the need to ensure a sufficient spread in this first phase in terms of town size.
The local Town Team drawn from local community and business representatives will now work with local stakeholders to progress drafting of the plans and to identify challenges, actions and integrated responses across a number of themes (business/commercial; community/cultural; housing; built environment; heritage).
The delivery of this first phase of Town Centre First Plan funding will be a key building block for the success of the Town Centre First approach.
