Over €1m for Offaly under Town and Village Renewal Scheme

Funding of half a million euros has been allocated for the redevelopment of the vacant Shinrone Library building to create a multi-purpose community space under the Town and Village Renewal scheme, details of which have just been announced this morning (Monday).

Offaly has been allocated over €1 million under the latest round of the scheme, with redevelopment projects in Kilcormac and Mucklagh receiving allocations of €300,000 each. The Kilcormac Community Plaza Project will see a town centre plaza being created in the town, along with a new market space, natured based drainage, biodiversity landscaping and improved parking facilities.

The €300,000 funding allocation to Mucklagh, meanwhile, will see the development of a recreational amenity and village centre plaza with market infrastructure at the hugely-successful Mucklagh Community Centre, including public realm and parking provision.

Two more projects in Offaly were awarded funding under the 'Project Development Measure’ element of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. This element supports local authorities to develop a pipeline of projects and provides funding towards the costs of bringing these bring projects to a point where they are shovel ready.

The two Offaly projects awarded funding under the 'Project Development Measure' are located in Clara and Pullough. The Clara project seeks to engage the professional services required to assist in developing the design of a town centre back land site up to planning stage as a priority project under the Town Centre First Plan. The sum of money allocated is €50,000.

Pullough has also been allocated €50,000 for the engagement of professional services to assist developing the design of a vacant village site into a recreational amenity, up to planning stage, as a key project for the Pullough Residents Developmenmt Association.

The funding for Offaly is part of an overall package of €26 million which was announced under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme for over 100 projects nationwide this morning by Rural Affairs Minister, Dara Calleary TD. The funding is being invested in projects that are designed to rejuvenate town centres, drive economic growth and town footfall, combat dereliction and vacancy, develop pedestrian zones and outdoor spaces and boost tourism in rural Ireland.

Minister Calleary said the Town and Village Renewal Scheme continues to have “a hugely positive impact” in Ireland’s rural towns and villages and pledged a continued roll-out of “significant levels of investment in rural Ireland” from the government making rural towns and villages better places “to live, work, raise a family and run a business.”

The Offaly funding has been warmly welcomed by the county's Fine Gael deputy, John Clendennen who paid tribute to the commitment shown locally “These projects do not happen overnight. They reflect years of work by local residents, development groups and council officials working in the best interest of the future of their towns and villages” he said.

Deputy Clendennen added that the funding aligns with Fine Gael’s broader commitment to balanced regional development “Strong towns and villages are essential to the social and economic fabric of Offaly. This investment will improve public spaces and facilities, support local enterprise, enhance quality of life and help ensure our communities remain vibrant places to live, work and visit.”