The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD this week allocated €774,000 to regenerate the village of Ballydesmond in North Cork.
€75 million in total was allocated this week to 24 landmark regeneration projects in rural communities across the country. The funding, which is being provided under the €1 Billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will support the key objectives of Our Rural Future – the Government’s ambitious new policy for Rural Ireland.
Welcoming the funding, North Cork Fine Gael Cllr. John Paul O’Shea said “This is a huge boost for Ballydesmond. The Council have been working hard with the local community there over the last number of years in progressing plans for the village and it is just great to see now they will received almost three quarters of a million euro to enhance their village. It is just wonderful news”.
Cork County Council in partnership with the local community will now proceed with developing the new playground and park in the village along with a new walkway and an enhanced streetscape.
Announcing the funding, 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”.
Minister Humphreys continued:
“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. 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”.
“A large number of these projects also include significant public realm works such as developing new pedestrian areas in town centres, creating new green areas and developing new outdoor public spaces for community and cultural events – these projects will help to make our towns attractive, lived in and vibrant places. 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.”
