The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys has announced a €20 million investment in town and villages under the 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme today (13 April).
Up to 300 towns and villages will benefit from funding under the Scheme, which will be made available through local authorities over the next 15 months to support rural regeneration. The scheme is targeted at towns and villages with populations of less than 10,000. Applications from towns can range from €20,000 to a maximum of €100,000. Funding of up to €200,000 will also be considered subject to certain conditions.
Lorraine Higgins of Retail Excellence welcomed the announcement, saying, “Retail Excellence has been to the forefront in terms of developing policy in this area and advising town committees, chambers of commerce and local authorities on how to get the best from town centres, encouraging people to comeback, developing an evening economy and enhancing the quality of experience for residents and visitors alike. So, we are delighted to see this kind of investment targeted at rural towns and villages throughout the country which will aid our efforts.
“This fund is a critical initiative to rejuvenate and revive our towns which will make them more attractive and breath life back into them. We would encourage all qualified towns to apply for these funds and determine the future direction of their place. We would also like to commend Minister Humphreys and Minister Ring for securing the necessary funds which will help accelerate the revival of many towns,” Higgins concluded.
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