Kildare Senator welcomes €13 million fund to tackle dereliction and vacancy in rural areas

A Kildare-based Senator has welcomed the announcement that a new €13 million fund has been set up to tackle dereliction and vacancy in rural areas.

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, announced the fund earlier today, which aims to transform dozens of old buildings into multi-purpose community facilities. 

Commenting on the news, Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O'Loughlin said: "This initiative is a vital step in the rejuvenation of our towns and villages, ensuring they remain attractive places to live, work, and visit."

She elaborated: "Under the initiative, each local authority can apply for funding of up to €500,000, which they can use to purchase up to three properties to re-develop into multi-purpose community facilities.

"The funding, under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, is designed to make our towns and villages more attractive places in which to live, visit, invest and raise a family.

"Funding previously announced under the scheme saw old banks, courthouses, garda stations and FCA halls all purchased and re-purposed for modern use."

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The Senator continued: "I’m delighted with the commitment to provide each local authority with funding of up to €500,000, allowing them to purchase and redevelop up to three properties into multi-purpose community facilities.

"This will give a new lease of life to buildings that have been lying idle for years and will provide much-needed spaces for the community to gather and hold events.

"This scheme builds on the Town and Village Renewal Scheme to date, which has transformed old and unused buildings into functional spaces that benefit communities across Ireland," Senator O' Loughlin concluded.

Senator Fiona O' Loughlin made headlines last week when she was announced as one of five senators to sit on the new Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying.

As reported by RTÉ News, the other Senators are: Independents Lynn Ruane and Rónán Mullen, the Labour Party's Annie Hoey and Fine Gael's Mary Seery Kearney.