Town Centres First

I'm passionate about the Town Centres First policy approach, which aims to bring family life back to the heart of Ireland's towns and villages through placemaking, good quality urban design and sustainable mobility. I'm working closely with my colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and across Government as a whole to ensure that heritage-led regeneration is a key component of Town Centres First policy. Here, I set out my top priorities. Follow me on social media for updates or contact me directly for details on the progress I'm making.

Take a strategic approach to the regeneration of our villages and towns by supporting the development of a Town Centres First policy

Support efforts to ensure that Local Authorities have a town architect/urban planner and conservation and repurposing officer

Develop a urban wildlife, woodland and green infrastructure guide for local authorites

Incrementally increase the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and Historic Structures fund to build capacity within town centres

Roll out the Heritage Council's Collaborative Town Centre Health Check (CTCHC) programme to all towns above a population of 5,000

Simplify the grants process under a one-stop-shop (single grant portal) to provide one source for energy efficiency, heritage conservation and other grants

Establish Ireland’s Town Partnership

Preparation of an enhanced ‘Tidy Towns’ competition that will recognise the best of our towns, villages and urban centres, and provide a stronger focus on tackling dereliction and under-used properties and sites

Develop exemplar projects by funding a scheme specifically targeting the repair and renovation of historic structures in town centres

Resource the UCD Centre for Irish Towns

See the full list of Programme for Government

commitments on Town Centres First here (page 12).