Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2024
111. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the measures being taken to tackle vacancy and dereliction in our towns and villages; the number of local authority requests to date under her Department's building acquisition measure to tackle vacancy and dereliction in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3829/24]
View answerA key aim of Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy is addressing vacancy and dereliction in our rural towns and villages across the country and ensuring that the policies and schemes in place directly address and tackle these issues.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of several measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €156 million has been allocated to more than 1,700 projects across Ireland.
In line with the policy commitments within the Our Rural Future and Town Centre First policy, priorities are reviewed at the end of each scheme year to ensure that funding schemes are structured in a way that delivers on key government commitments. The 2022 and 2023 TVRS prioritised projects that bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use and promote residential occupancy in town centres
In 2022, in recognition of the urgent need to transform and regenerate town centres, I introduced the Building Acquisition Measure (BAM). The purpose of this measure was to support local authorities to immediately acquire derelict or vacant buildings and use these projects for town regeneration.
I am happy to confirm that 29 properties were purchased by local authorities under the 2022 BAM with a total investment of over €6 million and 24 properties were purchased under the 2023 BAM with an investment of over €4.6 million. In 2022, Louth County Council was successful in its submission of an application for the purchase of the former Bank of Ireland Building in Dunleer for use as a multi-purpose community space.
Whilst it did not submit an application under BAM in 2023, in the lifetime of this Government Louth has benefitted from more than €2.2million under TVRS alone.
In addition, my Department's Rural Regeneration and Development Fund supports large scale rural regeneration projects across rural Ireland, and a key focus of the Fund is on the regeneration of our rural towns and villages. Since the Fund was established in 2018, funding of over €262 million has been approved to develop and deliver projects, many of which will address vacancy and dereliction in town centres. The Fifth Call for applications under the Fund is currently open for applications with a closing date of 8 February.
Finally, my Department continues to collaborate with our colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the implementation of the Town Centre First Policy. The National Town Centre First Office is now fully established, and my Department is funding Town Regeneration Officers in 26 local authorities who will be key actors in helping towns to address challenges such as vacancy and dereliction.
