€7.5m for Kinnegad under ‘Our Rural Future’

More than €7.5m has been awarded to Kinnegad under the ‘Our Rural Future’ scheme

Minister Heather Humphreys announced 24 landmark rural regeneration projects nationwide this morning, and the one in Kinnegad will see the regeneration of an old school in the town centre into a community library, remote learning, education and training space.

A town park, playground and outdoor events space will be developed adjacent to the building creating an iconic community and civic space in Kinnegad town centre.

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 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-desking facilities. These projects will support remote workers and commuters to work from and remain in their own local community.

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.”

The allocation has been welcomed by local Ministers of State, Peter Burke and Robert Troy.

Minister Peter Burke said that the amount earmarked for Kinnegad is €7,663,916, and Westmeath County Council will contribute another €850,000.

“This funding will see a new community library and an education and training centre in the disused former national school in the large site within Kinnegad. The money will also be used for a new town park, a community centre and a civic space.

“The community have long called out for such facilities, and we have seen how Kinnegad has grown in population over previous years, with the facilities struggling to keep apace with this growth.

“Meetings were held in Kinnegad and widely attended over the last number of years, with residents outlining what they wanted for the town and how best we can all work to achieve this, in partnership with Westmeath County Council and Fine Gael Rural Affairs Minister Heather Humphreys. An action plan was drawn up and feasibility studies completed.

“I am delighted with the final result, which is a multi-million euro project which will transform Kinnegad, make it a better place to live, work and raise a family in. It was also help to regenerate the middle of town, and promotes the reuse of the old derelict school building which will increase footfall and activity within the town centre.

“We must support our rural and regional towns, and I am looking forward to work getting under way in Kinnegad. Westmeath County Council have done great work on the design of these plans, as well as local representatives, business owners and residents who all worked together to deliver this ambitious project. I also want to thank my colleague Minister Heather Humphreys, who I met with to discuss this project on a number of occasions and who recognises the importance of investment into rural Ireland.

“As minister for planning, one of the key measures I want to support in every town is to bring derelict buildings within town centres back into use, rather than establishing new developments outside of town. We must develop the heart of our towns where possible, and ensure that the benefit of government investment and schemes are felt by all within our communities. This funding for Kinnegad will do just that, and I look forward to seeing the progress in the months ahead.”

Minister of State Troy told the Westmeath Examiner that the development would be "transformative" for the Kinnegad area.

"This is a very strong endorsement by government in Kinnegad and the wider community area. This project came about by way of an application by the regeneration team at Westmeath County Council last December. The application is based on the Kinnegad Town Plan, which the community fed into.

"The overall project will be transformative for Kinnegad. It will see a huge a boost both in terms of social and economic development, delivering a modern library and an education and training facility, in conjunction with the Longford Westmeath ETB, and a town park.

"I think full credit must go to the regeneration team at Westmeath County Council, who put in a very compelling application to the Department of Rural and Community Development. Because of the application and the work being done by Westmeath County Council we will see huge benefits for Kinnegad, the wider community and people who live in it," Minister Troy said.

Examples of Successful Projects include:

• €8.78m for Ballybofey-Stranolar, Co. Donegal: Restoration of the old Ritz Cinema Heritage Building into a 1,400sq.m Enterprise and Remote Working Hub.

• €6m for Ballymahon, Co. Longford: 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.

• €4m for Youghal Co. Cork: Derelict site and buildings on the main street to be transformed into a new library, remote learning hub and community space. This town centre project will significantly enhance the character and streetscape in the heart of Youghal.

• €2.8m for the Thurles Market Quarter, Co Tipperary: This project will renovate a 19th Century vacant agriculture building and associated car park to create the new Thurles Market Quarter. The new Quarter will include a designated market space, a multi-functional events space and a Student’s Union and Café.

• €2m for Remote Working Hub on Iveragh Peninsula, Co Kerry: This project will deliver a Digital Hub that will provide workspace for up to 50 people on the peninsula. The gteic Hub will provide remote learning and upskilling programmes, support small businesses to develop and expand and provide remote we3edorking space for the surrounding region.

• €2.55m for Portumna Courthouse Arts Centre, Co. Galway: After being vacant for two decades, the courthouse will be the site of a new multi-purpose arts, performance, remote working and social space, with the courtyard becoming an outdoor social space.

• €8.2m for Cardonagh, Co Donegal: This is a transformational project for the centre of Carndonagh. It will see the regeneration of an old Department Store in the heart of the town-centre to become a new Digital Fabrication Laboratory and Co-Working Hub, deliver a social space for young people and teenagers and also provide a Creative Makers Hub in the town for creative and craft industries. The project also encompasses a new pedestrian street and public realm park, a new demountable canopied area in the Diamond civic space and public realm improvements.

• €795,000 for the former Ballyconnell Market House, Co Cavan: This project will renovate and redevelop a heritage building, the former Market House located in the centre of Ballyconnell, into a Community, Remote Working and Tourism Hub. The new hub will help enable the town to capitalise on the natural assets in the area including the UNESCO Marble Arch Caves Geopark and the Shannon Erne Waterway while also providing essential community services, including the provision of remote working facilities and access to education courses and programmes.

• €1.9m for Dromahair, Co Leitrim: This project will see the regeneration of an old Hotel building and site in the town centre into a new library, e-learning, cultural and creative hub.

• €7.6m for Kinnegad, Co Westmeath: This project will see the regeneration of an old school in the town centre into a community library, remote learning, education and training space. A town park, playground and outdoor events space will be developed adjacent to the building creating an iconic community and civic space in Kinnegad town centre.

• €671,377 for Enfield Enterprise Hub: Renovation of a vacant industrial building in the Town Centre into a Community and Enterprise Hub. The project will help to retain talent locally and support co-working in this growing commuter town.

• €1.3m for Newbliss Enterprise and Digital Hub, Co Monaghan: This project will deliver the full regeneration and redevelopment of Newbliss Courthouse as an Enterprise and Digital Hub. The Hub will act a key driver for economic recovery, retaining talent locally, creating and supporting jobs, increasing footfall and activity and addressing a long derelict building in the heart of the village.

• €2.8m for Omeath, Co Meath: This project will regenerate and revitalise the centre of Omeath providing a pedestrian zone in the village centre and improved linkages to the Great Eastern Greenway. The project will support the development of the village as a stop-off tourist destination on the greenway, increase footfall and support the creation of visitor-focused local businesses.

Minister Humphreys said: “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 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.

“Supporting the development of remote working facilities in places like Enfield and Carrickmacross will give commuters in those areas the choice to work locally rather than spend hours in traffic each day.

“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.”

A full list of the projects funded is available on gov.ie.