Additional funding of €830,000 approved for food hub in South Kildare

Additional funding of €830,000 has been approved for the Athy Food Hub.

The additional funding for this new venture in Athy will bring the total contribution from the Department of Rural and Community Development to €5.1 million.

The total project cost, including matched funding, is now €6.384 million.

Kildare South Fine Gael TD and Minister of State Martin Heydon TD welcomed the news, saying "I am delighted to have received confirmation from my colleague, Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD today that an application for increased funding for the Athy Food Hub Project has been approved.

"The additional funding is required to cover additional costs which have arisen as the project progresses."

Minister Heydon continued: "The food hub, when completed, will deliver a space where food innovators and artisan producers can scale up their businesses in a bespoke environment, collaborate together, connect with local food producers, and grow their businesses into new markets, creating jobs and economic activity.

Martin Heydon TD

"It will be a real boost to those with small agri food businesses or for those with an idea to set up a new business and is ideally placed in the heartland of agriculture in Kildare.

"This decision allows the project to now go to tender with construction hopefully commencing later this year."

He concluded: "It is another great example of this Government’s commitment to invest in rural communities, and I look forward to seeing it completed and bringing economic and employment benefits to Athy and surrounding regions."