Published on Wednesday20thOctober2021

Our Rural Future: Minister Humphreys announces almost €3.5 million in additional funding for 12 landmark rural regeneration projects

  • Development of town centres, public realms and digital hubs to breathe new life into rural towns and villages

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced additional funding of almost €3.5 million for 12 projects supported by the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF).

The projects include the rejuvenation of town centres and public realms, as well as the development of a number of enterprise and digital hubs to facilitate remote working.

The RRDF is a key part of Our Rural Future, the Government’s five year policy designed to reinvigorate Rural Ireland.

The Fund itself is designed to combat dereliction, increase the vibrancy of town centres and regenerate old buildings so that they have a new purpose.

The 12 projects were among 25 projects approved for funding under RRDF in April of this year.

Following a full cost review of the projects involved, the additional funding is being made available to ensure they are delivered to the highest possible standard in order to benefit the local communities in the areas concerned.

Today’s announcement brings the overall funding for the 25 landmark projects announced in April to over €84 million.

Announcing the funding today, Minister Humphreys said:

“The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund is delivering projects that will have a real and lasting impact on Rural Ireland for decades to come.

“The 25 projects I announced in April are landmark projects that will breathe new life into towns and villages.

“The additional funding of €3.5 million that I am announcing today reflects the fact that it is a challenging time in construction and that further financial investment from Government is required to ensure these projects can be delivered in full.

“The cost review undertaken in relation to the projects was also important to ensure that no delays would be encountered in their delivery and that appropriate funding is in place to cover contingencies in the current volatile cost environment.

“I will be closely following the progress made on these projects and look forward to their full and timely completion.”

Minister Humphreys concluded:

“Earlier this month, the Government announced the new National Development Plan. The NDP allocated capital funding of €962 million to support rural and community development projects until 2025, an increase of 21%.  This included over €480 million for rural regeneration and development schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

“These and other funding programmes will underpin the delivery of ‘Our Rural Future’, our ambitious rural development policy, providing the necessary investment to meet the unprecedented vision and ambition that we have for Rural Ireland.

“The funding and delivery of large scale projects is essential to revitalising our rural towns and villages and attracting people back to rural areas to live and work.

“The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund alone has to date invested over €255 million in 164 projects worth a total of €347million. I expect to be in a position to announce successful Category 2 applications under the Fund, to assist further project development work around the country, in the weeks ahead and to announce the fourth call for Category 1 applications before the end of the year.”

ENDS

Contact:

The Department of Rural and Community Development Press Office

076-1006843 / 086-7912704

Press.office@drcd.gov.ie

 

Notes for editors: 

See below table detailing projects receiving upgraded funding

Rural Development Investment Programme

The Department of Rural and Community Development’s Rural Development Investment Programme includes a number of integrated funding interventions:

  • Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF)
  • Town and Village Renewal Scheme
  • CLÁR
  • Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme
  • Local Improvement Scheme
  • LEADER
  • Walks Scheme

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund was established to deliver on the National Strategic Objective in the National Development Plan of Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities and achieve sustainable economic and social development in the rural areas. The Fund is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The Fund provides investment to support suitable projects in towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and outlying areas.

Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories. Category 1 relates to projects with all necessary planning and consents in place and are ready to proceed, while Category 2 relates to projects which require further development to become ready for Category 1 status.

 

To date, the Fund has invested over €255 million in 164 projects worth a total of €347million.

It is expected that the Minister will announce the successful projects from the third call for Category 2 applications, which closed in July 2021, in the coming weeks.  It is also expected that the Minister will launch the fourth call for Category 1 applications shortly.

Table: Third Call Category 1 Projects – Upgraded Funding

Project Name

Lead Body

Location

County

Total Cost

RRDF Funding Announced

Increase in RRDF funding

Ballydesmond Village Public Realm and Placemaking Enhancement Plan

Cork County Council

Ballydesmond

Cork

€903,000

€774,000

€38,700

Ailt an Chorrain (Burtonport) Harbour Redevelopment Phase 2 Harbour Buildings

Donegal County Council

Burtonport

Donegal

€2,295,290

€1,854,677

€211,084

Dromahair Regeneration Project

Leitrim County Council

Dromahair

Leitrim

€2,474,876

€1,939,388

€288,000

Mohill Public Realm

Leitrim County Council

Mohill

Leitrim

€2,998,750

€2,520,000

€178,875

Ballymahon ‘Pobal le Cheile’

Longford County Council

Ballymahon

Longford

€7,405,332

€5,991,916

€672,883

Enfield Community and Enterprise Hub

Meath County Council

Enfield

Meath

€969,620

€671,377

€55,838

C Tek II Co-working Enterprise Hub Carrickmacross

Monaghan County Council

Carrickmacross

Monaghan

€3,878,829

€3,173,588

€317,358

 

 

Project Name

Lead Body

Location

County

Revised Total Cost

RRDF Funding Announced

Increase in RRDF funding

Newbliss Enterprise and Digital Hub

Monaghan County Council

Newbliss

Monaghan

€1,885,317

€1,396,132

€300,653

Energising Boyle Town Centre and King House

Roscommon County Council

Boyle

Roscommon

€2,416,000

€1,872,900

€301,500

Thurles Market Quarter - Regeneration through Recreation, Education and Support for Local Producers

Tipperary County Council

Thurles

Tipperary

€3,825,700

€2,893,861

€549,269

Revitalisation of Rural Villages: A Model for Cluster Housing and Low Carbon Planning

Tipperary County Council

Kilsheelan

Tipperary

€670,833

€551,854

€51,896

Kinnegad Regeneration

Westmeath County Council

Kinnegad

Westmeath

€9,083,089

€7,643,916

€530,864

 

 

 

 

€38,806,636

€31,283,609

€3,496,920

 

 

Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for rural Ireland for the period 2021-2025. It represents a new milestone in the approach to rural development policy for Ireland and adopts a more strategic, ambitious and holistic approach to investing in and maximising opportunities for rural areas. The policy’s objectives will be achieved through the delivery of more than 150 commitments to be implemented through annual work programmes across a range of government departments and agencies.  The 2021 work programme is available on the gov.ie website and preparation for the 2022 work programme will commence in the coming weeks.