Limerick Fine Gael TD, Patrick O’Donovan has welcomed funding of €1.5million which has been allocated for projects in Limerick under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.
The Fund is part of the Department of Rural and Community Development’s Rural Development Investment Programme which is funded under Project Ireland 2040 and provides €1 billion in investment over 10 years to support the regeneration and development of rural towns, villages and outlying areas.
Patrick O’Donovan said: “The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund represents an unprecedented opportunity to deliver the scale of investment necessary to allow rural communities to further develop and prosper.
“This investment is more important than ever to help address the challenges arising from the COVID-19 crisis and to drive economic recovery and sustainable development in rural areas.
“The Category 2 funding announced today is for projects that require further development to make them ready for construction. There can be significant work and expense involved in getting projects to the point where they are ready to be delivered.
“This support is critical to ensure that a pipeline of ambitious regeneration projects are ready to hit the ground running in the future. The funding announced today will go towards dereliction and re-use for housing development in the core of towns and villages in rural Limerick. It will cover Newcastle West, Rathkeale, Abbeyfeale, Askeaton, Ardagh, Kilmalloock, Croom, Bruff, Kilfinane and Ballingarry. The total project cost will be €2million. Limerick City and County Council will lead this project.”
“The project announced today and the projects already approved under the Fund will continue to make a significant and tangible contribution to economic recovery in Rural Ireland over the months ahead.
“This Fund has now made available over €161 million in funding for projects worth a combined total of €229 million. This funding is supporting jobs in every sector within the construction industry, most particularly for many companies, contractors and individuals who are themselves based in rural towns and villages here in Limerick. In turn, as these projects are delivered, they will help support community development, enterprise development, town centre retail and activity, and assist our tourism industry to rebound strongly.”
