RURAL Waterford is being encouraged to take advantage of a €30 million town and village renewal fund that has been announced.

Fine Gael Waterford Minister Paudie Coffey who has special responsibility for Housing, Planning and Construction is encouraging towns and villages like Portlaw, Lismore, Tallow, Cappoquin, and others to come forward with proposals to enhance their villages and towns and to make them better communities to live in.

The Minister stated, “The fund will be administered through local authorities through the various LCDC’s who will put forward projects for approval. In the short term it is imperative that shovel ready projects are targeted so that we can see this scheme in operation and towns and villages benefiting straight away.

“Projects in town and village centres will be the target of this scheme and will be aimed at business and commercial stimulus and regeneration; street-scape enhancement and heritage conservation amongst other potential projects.

“Rural towns and villages right around Ireland have suffered as a result of the economic collapse.  Given the improving economic circumstances, we are now in a position to put in place a fund that will give a stimulus to local communities across Ireland.”