€6m for Ballymahon under "Our Rural Future" scheme

A Youth Hub, Community Centre and co-working space are to be developed in Ballymahon under a rural development scheme which will see funding of €6 million being earmarked for the town.

The funding announcement, which was made by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today (Monday) is being made under the "Our Rural Future" scheme, and the €6 million being allocated to Ballymahon will go towards the renovation of three historic town centre buildings including the vacant former convent building, the old Boys School and the former Dean Egan Library into a Co-Working Space, Youth Hub and a Community Centre.

A total of €75 million was announced today by Minister Humphreys for 24 landmark regeneration projects in rural communities across the country.

The funding, which is being provided under the €1Billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will support the key objectives of Our Rural Future - the Government’s ambitious new policy for Rural Ireland.

A large number of the successful projects provide for the regeneration of vacant town centre buildings as remote working and hot-desk facilities. These projects will support remote workers and commuters to work from and remain in their own local community.

Announcing the funding today, Minister Humphreys said:

“Just three weeks ago, the Government launched Our Rural Future, the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in decades.

“Today we are putting that policy firmly into action and delivering major investment aimed at town centre regeneration and supporting remote working.

“These projects will breathe new life into towns and villages across the country making them attractive and vibrant places for people to live, work, socialise and raise a family.”

“When I launched Our Rural Future, I said I wanted to see innovative and exciting projects coming forward that would make a real and lasting difference in our rural towns and villages – that’s exactly what the projects we are announcing today are about.

“It is absolutely clear that Local Authorities and communities across the country have picked up the ball on remote working and ran with it. I am delighted that so many of the successful projects today will see the development of remote working and hot-desking facilities in rural towns and villages.

“These projects will not only enable people to live and work in their community but they will also see iconic town centre buildings given a new lease of life and increase football for local businesses.

“Today you are seeing Our Rural Future in action - and this is only the beginning. In the coming weeks, I will be inviting new applications under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and bringing forward an enhanced Town and Village Renewal Scheme which will provide rural communities with more opportunities to make exciting and impactful projects like these a reality.”