Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 June 2019
258. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 490 of 11 December 2018, the status of a pilot scheme; his plans to roll out the scheme on a national level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27149/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI launched the pilot scheme to encourage increased residential occupancy in rural towns and villages last October, and announced that six towns had been invited to participate in the initial pilot.
The primary objective of the scheme is to encourage people to return to living in town centres. This is part of a wider range of measures being taken across Government to revitalise towns and villages and address the issue of vacant premises. The scheme is being led locally by the relevant Local Authorities, in close collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, and is overseen by my Department.
The 6 towns which were identified for inclusion in the pilot are:
1. Boyle, Co Roscommon
2. Callan, Co Kilkenny
3. Ballinrobe, Co Mayo
4. Banagher, Co Offaly
5. Castleblayney, Co Monaghan
6. Cappoquin, Co Waterford
Funding of up to €100,000 is being made available to each of these towns to develop proposals to encourage town centre living. The funding is being used by the Local Authorities to engage with communities and local businesses in order to identify practical solutions to repurposing vacant premises and increase the number of people living in their town centres.
It is envisaged that the solutions identified through the six pilot towns could lead to the development of more substantive proposals for funding from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in due course. The lessons learnt through this pilot initiative will also help to inform the Government's approach to supporting and investing in rural towns and villages in the future, including any further expansion of the approach adopted in the pilot.
