Fingal County Council has welcomed the allocation of €600,000 towards seven ambitious projects under the 2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme.  Projects in Lusk, Balrothery, Rush, Naul, Portmarnock, Skerries and Portrane have been included in the allocation of €597,960 awarded to Fingal County Council.

Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring announced total funding of €21million under the 2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme, a key part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development.

The funding will allow the Council progress the projects which aim to enhance and rejuvenate each of the seven towns and villages.

The Fingal allocations are:

• €200,000 – Development of a tourism hub in Lusk on a strategic site within the village, which will include the delivery of a permanent exhibition space themed on the Life and Times of Thomas Ashe, a key nationalist in the 1916 Rising and a central figure in the community of Lusk and the greater Fingal region.
• €100,000 – Enhancement of historic, commercial and recreational core of Balrothery, including the creation of new pedestrian linkages and street parking at the Balrothery Heritage Centre.
• €100,000 – Enhancement of Rush Main Street, including a Paint and Shopfront Improvement Scheme, and Signage Provision to rejuvenate and revitalise the main street.
• €36,800 – Interpretation of life of Seamus Ennis in Naul to commemorate the centenary of the birth of the master uilleann piper and music collector.
• €72,000 – Town Centre Enhancement of Floraville Park in Skerries to allow the park be used after sundown and provide comfortable seating for older people, while also fulfilling one of the intended objectives to provide a variety of artwork in the park, all by artists living in the town.
• €57,160 – Restoration of heritage stone walls at southern entrance to Portmarnock village and the boundary wall of the former Jameson estate on the eastern side of Strand Road.
• €32,000 – Portrane Village enhancements to rejuvenate the appearance of the village and the green space area.

Fingal County Council’s Chief Executive Paul Reid said: “Fingal County Council is delighted with the allocation which will help enhance rural towns and villages across the region, with a particular emphasis on stimulating economic development.

“Allocations ranging from €36,800 to €200,000 have been awarded to the Fingal projects which will have a hugely significant impact on the seven selected towns and villages. We are looking forward to moving the projects forward which we believe will play a key role in revitalising and rejuvenating the seven areas.”

Announcing the funding, Minister Ring said: “Over 220 rural towns and villages are getting really positive news. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is an important part of the Government’s work to rejuvenate rural Ireland and is having a significant impact on towns and villages across the country.”

“As well as supporting initiatives which support enterprise and job creation, the scheme will also support improvements to public amenities in town and village centres, to help make them more attractive places in which to live, work and visit.”

“I am delighted with the response which I received to the call for proposals this year. I want to thank the Local Authorities for their efforts and co-operation in engaging with local communities to identify these projects. Once again most of the funding will benefit towns and villages, with populations of less than 5,000 people,” he added.

Seamus Ennis: €36,800 – Interpretation of life of Seamus Ennis in Naul to commemorate the centenary of the birth of the master uilleann piper and music collector.

€100,000 has been allocated towards the enhancement of historic, commercial and recreational core of Balrothery, including the creation of new pedestrian linkages and street parking at the Balrothery Heritage Centre.

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