Minister Calleary announces €26 million for over 100 projects nationwide under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme
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From: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
- Published on: 22 December 2025
- Last updated on: 22 December 2025
- Funding announced for projects to stimulate town centre economic and social regeneration and resilience
- A focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction to bring additional footfall into town centres
- Funding for the pre-development costs associated with projects to help communities develop applications for future funding calls
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has today (Monday, 22 December 2025) announced funding of €26 million for 116 projects in rural communities across the country.
The funding, which is provided under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS), is being invested in projects that will 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.
TVRS has established itself as one of the vital funding mechanisms for rural Ireland and the benefits were clear when the Minister officially opened the Canal House Community Youth Facility in Belmullet, County Mayo on Friday last. The project, funded with €500,000 under the 2022 Town and Village Renewal scheme, will provide a much-needed centre for youth activities for the Erris area.
Examples of projects which have received funding approval today include:
- €500,000 for the refurbishment and extension of a 1940’s community hall into a theatre, arts venue and market space in Mountshannon, Clare
- €500,000 for the renovation of the 3-storey vacant Gaol Block to provide a visitor experience in the Historic & Cultural Quarter in Nenagh, Tipperary
- €500,000 for the renovation of 2 vacant buildings into Community Café and Shop in Glenmore, Kilkenny
- €500,000 for the redevelopment of the old Shinrone Library in Offaly into a modern multi-purpose community space
- €300,000 for renovation of the Múseum Chorca Dhuibhne and community centre in the Gaeltacht area of Baile an Fheirtéaraigh
- €300,000 for the regeneration of the Market Town Square in Ballinakill, Laois
- €300,000 for the construction of a playground in Collon, Louth
A full list of the successful projects is available here
Announcing the funding for the 116 projects, Minister Calleary said:
“I am delighted to announce the successful projects selected from applications to the 2025 Town and Village Renewal Scheme. The scheme continues to have a hugely positive impact in Ireland’s rural towns and villages and this investment will further strengthen this work.
“We will continue to roll-out significant levels of investment in rural Ireland – making our towns and villages better places to live, work, raise a family and run a business. Today’s announcement confirms our strong commitment to supporting our rural communities both economically and socially.”
The Minister continued:
“There is a high level of interest in the Town and Village Renewal scheme and the applications brought forward by our local authorities following their engagement with communities are of a consistently high standard. It is positive to note the increasing number of projects coming forward from towns that have been active in the Town Centre First process. These towns are working with their Town Regeneration Officers to develop and improve their communities. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who were successful.”
Today’s announcement sees 77 projects deemed successful under the TVRS ‘Main Scheme’ receiving funding of €24.4 million. In addition, €1.85 million is being provided for 39 under the TVRS ‘Project Development Measure’. This measure supports local authorities to develop a pipeline of projects and provides funding towards the costs to bring projects to a point where they are shovel ready.