Banagher awarded €100,000 for Town & Village residential occupancy pilot scheme
Offaly Fine Gael TD, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy has welcomed confirmation this afternoon from her Government colleague, Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD that Banagher is one of six towns nationwide that have been chosen by his Department for a pilot scheme under the Town and Village Pilot Residential Occupancy Scheme.
“Banagher will receive €100,000 to develop their plans and blueprints and to engage in structured way with the local community and local businesses to deliver solutions to increase the number of people and families living in Banagher town centre.
“I have been working closely with Kieran Keenaghan and the Banagher Development Committee and I am delighted that Banagher has been chosen under this pilot scheme following a meeting I arranged in Leinster House with the Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, Damien English TD earlier this year.
“We must encourage people to live in our town centres in order to sustain and revitalise these population centres. Banagher has so much to offer with a young vibrant workforce and I look forward to working with all the stakeholders with a view to developing a well planned pilot scheme.
“This initiative will be led by Offaly County Council and this funding follows the €1.3 million announced for 12 towns and villages by my colleague in Government, Minister Michael Ring TD last Friday.
“This pilot scheme is being run in conjunction with the €1 billion Rural Regeneration Fund that was announced under Project Ireland 2040, the national development plan published earlier this year.”