Minister Canney welcomes the allocation of €23 million from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund to projects along the Atlantic Economic Corridor
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From: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
- Published on: 8 November 2019
- Last updated on: 26 August 2025
Mr Seán Canney TD, Minister of State has welcomed the announcement that €23 million has been allocated from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund to projects in the Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) region. The AEC covers Counties Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick, and Kerry.
Speaking today, Minister Canney said:
“The establishment of the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund is a key initiative of Project Ireland 2040. The Fund, which is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development, will provide €1 billion in investment over 10 years to support the renewal of towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and outlying areas. Projects supported by the Fund will have a transformational impact on the areas being funded and will be a game-changer for rural Ireland.
“Of the €62 million which has been announced in the latest round of RRDF funding, over €23 million - or 37% of the total - is for projects based in the Atlantic Economic Corridor region. Eleven of the 26 successful projects are located in the AEC.
“The funding announced for these projects is in addition to previous announcements of over €48 million from the Rural Regeneration Fund for projects in the AEC region.”
Projects being supported include:
- €3.6 million for a town centre regeneration project in Killybegs, Co. Donegal.
- €1.6 million to repurpose Loughrea Town Hall in Co. Galway as a cultural, tourism and enterprise hub.
- €2.6 million to restore and reconstruct the east wing of Ballintubber Abbey, Co. Mayo, to deliver a flagship cultural and heritage attraction.
- €1.3 million to deliver a Food Hub in Listowel, Co. Kerry.
Other projects are being funded in counties Clare, Roscommon, Leitrim, Donegal, and Mayo.
Minister Canney continued:
“I would like to congratulate the successful applicants and wish them well with regard to their projects. I also encourage those who were not successful under this call to continue to demonstrate the innovative thinking and strategic focus displayed in their applications and to take on board the feedback which will be provided by my Department, with a view to applying again next year.”
Notes for editors:
Rural Regeneration and Development Fund
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a key initiative of Project Ireland 2040. The Fund is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development, and will provide €1 billion in investment over 10 years to support the renewal of towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and outlying areas.
The objective of the Fund is to support coordinated and integrated projects between Government Departments, State agencies, Local Authorities, other public bodies, communities and, where appropriate, philanthropic funders and/or the private sector, which will have an impact on sustainable economic and social development in rural areas.
26 projects were approved for funding of €62 million by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, in the latest allocation from the Fund on 6 November 2019.
Atlantic Economic Corridor
The Atlantic Economic Corridor is a collaborative initiative driven by the AEC Taskforce which was founded in March 2017, and chaired by Minister Canney. The Taskforce comprises representatives from key Government Departments, public bodies, the business sector, local and regional government bodies and Third Level Institutions.
A core goal of the AEC initiative is to act as an enabler for the regional growth objectives of the National Planning Framework by combining the assets of the Atlantic seaboard region, from Donegal to Kerry, to attract investment, support job creation and improve the quality of life for the people of the region.
The local authorities involved in the AEC are:
- Donegal County Council,
- Leitrim County Council,
- Sligo County Council,
- Roscommon County Council,
- Mayo County Council,
- Galway County Council,
- Galway City Council,
- Clare County Council,
- Limerick City and County Council,
- Kerry County Council.
The AEC initiative is overseen by the Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce - a multi-stakeholder body with representatives from national, regional and local government, state agencies, higher education bodies, private industry and the community sector and is committed to developing an innovative and integrated strategy to promote the development of the region. www.atlanticeconomiccorridor.ie.
Projects in the AEC region which have been approved for funding from the latest allocation from the RRDF are listed below:
| Project Title | County | Description | RRDF Funding |
| Clare | €900,000.00 | ||
| Killybegs 2040 - Town Centre Regeneration Project | Donegal | €3,631,758.00 | |
| Donegal | €3,089,199.00 | ||
| Regeneration Loughrea, Breaking Through | Galway | €1,628,879.00 | |
| Listowel Food Hub | Kerry | €1,365,226.00 | |
| Leitrim | €1,728,075.00 | ||
| Leitrim | €1,613,250.00 | ||
| Mayo | €1,879,350.00 | ||
| Mayo | €2,677,352.00 | ||
| Clew Bay Greenway Project | Mayo | €1,924,800.00 | |
| Roscommon | €2,751,544.16 |