Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 March 2023
289. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the possibility of funding a remote working hub at Moate, County Westmeath as part of the town centre first policy. [13991/23]
View answerOur Rural Future, the Government's rural development policy for 2021-2025, places a clear emphasis on the transformative effect that remote working can have for rural communities. It also prioritises the revitalisation of rural towns and villages and recognises the importance of addressing the issue of vacant buildings in this regard.
A key deliverable under Our Rural Future was the publication in 2022 of Town Centre First - A Policy Approach for Irish Towns . This represents a whole of Government policy which aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres.
My Department operates a number of schemes which directly support the development of remote working hubs in towns and villages across rural Ireland, and significant funding has been invested to this end under schemes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.
For example, last December I announced funding of €27m to a range of successful projects under the 2022 Town and Village Renewal Scheme, many of which included the development of remote working facilities. This announcement also included funding to bring the old Fire Station in Moate town centre, which has laid vacant for many years, back into use as a multi-purpose space for community use by the Moate Action Group.
In 2022 I also launched a new Building Acquisition Measure as part of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme to support local authorities to purchase vacant and derelict buildings in for future development as community facilities, including remote working.
Each year the priorities of the rural development schemes are reviewed by my officials and I expect to be in a position to announce details of the 2023 schemes shortly. I am committed to ensuring that the development of remote working hubs can continue to make a real impact in addressing issues of building vacancy and town regeneration across rural Ireland.
