Press release
Minister Humphreys opens €7.5 million worth of projects in County Roscommon as part of Our Rural Future
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, has officially opened a wide range of projects across County Roscommon which have received funding of €7.5 million from her department.
All of the projects opened as part of the Minister’s visit received investment under the government’s ambitious rural development policy, Our Rural Future.
Minister Humphreys began the day on the Roscommon side of Athlone, where she officially opened Monksland Way, a recreation walkway which details the heritage of the area. The project was supported with €200,000 under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS).
Speaking at Monksland Way, Minister Humphreys said:
“The community here in Monksland have done a tremendous job in developing this new walkway which will be used by people of all ages. This is an excellent example of what can be achieved when people work collaboratively for the benefit of the wider community. This type of investment, through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, is central to what ‘Our Rural Future’ is all about.”
The Minister then went on to visit the site of the Life Sciences Hub Project , which received over €2.75 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund . The project is due to be completed next year and involves the repurposing of a disused building into a life sciences and co-working hub.
The Minister then officially opened the Portrunny Harbour Upgrade, which received a total of €250,000 in funding - €200,000 under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and €50,000 under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
Speaking at the official opening, the Minister commented:
“If we learned one thing during COVID-19, it’s how much we appreciate the great outdoors in terms of supporting both our physical and mental well-being. I have no doubt this project will attract thousands of people to the beautiful Lough Ree this summer – and I want to particularly commend the Local Development Association in Portunny for the work they have done in delivering this Harbour Upgrade.”
The Minster’s next stop of the day was to Athleague to view the works carried out with the €300,000 investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and CLÁR. The funding provided for the development of a community and economic action plan as well as the development of a ‘hot desk’ facility in the local community centre and for the purchase of equipment to facilitate outdoor activities in the village.
The Minister then went on to Roscommon Town, where she officially opened Loughnaneane Park which received funding from of €340,000 from her department.
Speaking at the official opening of Loughnaneane Park, the Minister said:
“I’m really pleased my department has supported you with €200,000 under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Fund. This has allowed you to enhance your existing trails, upgrade the boardwalks and install a bandstand and these wonderful sculpture pieces. And on top of that, you secured €140,000 under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme to improve the facilities here. So that’s a total investment of €340,000 for this park, which is a wonderful amenity that will benefit people of all ages.”
The Minister continued her visit to Roscommon with her next stop in Castlerea. Here the Minister turned the sod at the An Chistín Food Hub to commence phase 2 of the development of a new food innovation hub that will be used by start-up businesses and for training purposes. The new hub will produce 10 new food enterprises and create at least 50 new jobs. The project was allocated funding of over €2.4 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.
Speaking in Castlerea, the Minister said:
“This is a transformative project that will deliver the necessary infrastructure to ensure the An Chistín Food Hub becomes a major driver of food innovation, enterprise and job creation for the region. This project is an excellent example of how community and state organisations can work together to develop and deliver an outstanding initiative that will bring about real economic and social benefits in their regions. This Hub represents not just a project with massive potential for boosting the agri-food offering in this region but also one that speaks directly to the government’s ambition for rural Ireland.”
The Minister’s final stop on this visit to Roscommon was to Boyle. Here she officially opened an exhibition at King House which received over €2 million in funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.
Speaking about her visit to Roscommon today, the Minister said:
“I was really delighted to be back in Roscommon – It was exactly 1 year ago for the sod turning on the National Famine Museum in Strokestown which was a really wonderful day. And the projects that I visited today received an overall investment of over €7.5 million. Supporting local communities to shape their future is a key focus of the government’s new Rural Development Policy, Our Rural Future.”
Please find full details of the investments and projects launched as part of the Minister’s engagements in Roscommon.
Monksland Way was approved for funding of €200,000 under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) in 2018.
Works involved the construction of a new trail, the Cross River Walkway over a distance of approx. 2.3km in the vicinity of the Townlands of Monksland and Bellanamullia in County Roscommon.
It was also successful for €500,000 under the 2021 Town and Village Renewal Scheme the development of the first phase of Central Park incorporating multi-use, multi-generational area, tiered seating, performance area, walking trails and so on. This is due for completion in 2023.
The Monksland Life Sciences Hub project was approved for funding of €2,751,544 from the second call for applications to the RRDF. The cost of the project is €3,668,761. The project is led by Roscommon County Council in partnership with Westmeath County Council and Monksland Town Team.
The project will refurbish and repurpose a disused building in Monksland Business Park into a life sciences and co-working hub to support existing rural enterprises and start-up companies. The Hub will provide a co-working space, training facilities and a soft landing space for start-up companies. The Hub will build on the software and life sciences businesses already located in Monksland.
The project is due to go to tender for the construction works in Q3 2022 and be completed by Q3 2023.
Funding under the 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme to develop Portrunny Local community action plan, new slipway at Portrunny bay, new heritage trail at Portrun, landscaping of public amenity area Portrunny Bay.
€200,000 was also approved under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme in 2020 for the development of slipway to safely access Lough Ree, boat trailer parking, and the development of an accessible walk/cycleway from Portrunny Harbour to Crith Point and enhancement of harbourside recreation opportunities. This is due for completion in September 2022.
2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme - €100,000 for the development of a local economic and community action plan.
2019 Town and Village Renewal Scheme - €100,000 for the development of a 'Hot Desk' facility in the local Community Centre and enhancement of the village.
2020 Town and Village Accelerated Measure Project - €25,000 to purchase equipment to facilitate various outdoor activities throughout the year.
Funding of €200,000 approved under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme for the enhancement of the existing trails with ‘glow-in-the-dark’ specially formulated surfacing, upgrading of boardwalks, and installation of a bandstand, sculpture pieces and promotional signage at key locations.
2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme - €100,000 to improve the facilities in recreational area bordering Roscommon Castle.
2020 Town and Village Renewal Scheme Accelerated COVID Measure- €40,000 for a marketing & advertising strategy, Christmas Lights experience and enhancement of approach roads.
The Castlerea Food Hub project is a Category 1 project that was approved for funding of €1,545,000 under the first call for applications to the Fund. The project was approved for additional RRDF funding of €216,998 in November 2020 and €680,178 in February 2022.
The revised approved RRDF funding is €2,441,876 for a project costing €3,255,834.
Roscommon County Council has partnered with Enterprise Castlerea Ltd and Roscommon LEADER Partnership to deliver Phase III of the Castlerea Food Hub, a food development centre for the western region.
The project will develop 7 incubation units totalling 10,000 sq. ft. approx., targeted at new food start-ups, scaling/growth and existing food enterprises.
The overall aim is to encourage the growth of new food enterprises, which will retain and grow employment in the region in an important sector. Based on the establishment of just 2 successful food enterprises at the centre in year 1, and increasing at that rate in Years-2-5, this can result in 10 new food enterprises, providing at least 50 new jobs within a short time.
The further development of the existing Food Hub will enable it to become a major driver of food innovation, enterprise and job creation in the region.
The Energising Boyle Town Centre and King House is a category 1 project that was approved for funding of €2,174,400 from the third call for applications to the Fund. The cost of the project is €2,416,000.
This project will focus on King House Cultural Quarter and involves the upgrade of the Public Realm in Boyle from ‘The Crescent’ through to the town centre to the King House, taking in Bridge Street, Main Street, Patrick Street and the walk along the Boyle river with the overriding aim is that the entire riverside area of the town acquires a sense of cultural and historical significance.
This project includes improving the offer in King House to create an added activity for people visiting the town from the Lough Key to Boyle Cycleway to stop and explore the town, improve facilities for creative sector to work from the King House Campus.
The envisaged new focus of cultural quarter facilities will be a new pedestrian focused riverside area to encourage visitors and promote a strong urban community to help support the economy of the wider rural hinterlands of Boyle.
Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for rural Ireland for the period 2021-2025. It represents a new milestone in the approach to rural development policy for Ireland and adopts a more strategic, ambitious and holistic approach to investing in and maximising opportunities for rural areas.
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund is a commitment of €1 billion by Government to be invested in rural Ireland over the period 2019 to 2027.
In total the Fund has now provided over €278 million for 191 projects across the country worth a total of €376 million.
In relation to projects in County Roscommon, the Fund has provided €13.6 million in funding for projects worth €17.5 million.
The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure. It also provides support for the necessary repair, maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural areas across Ireland. ORIS provides funding for the development of new and existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural areas. It funds trails, cycleways, blueways, bridleways, outdoor amenities located near rivers, lakes and beaches.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme provides funding for projects that make our towns and villages more attractive and sustainable. Since the launch of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme in 2016, almost €93 million has been allocated to more than 1,300 projects across Ireland.