124 towns and villages will benefit from a new €7 million fund to support the enhancement of streetscapes and shopfronts, the Department of Rural and Community Development has revealed.

Announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys this morning (Monday, August 23) the funding is allocated under the Streetscape Enhancement Initiative.

This is part of the 'Our Rural Future' programme and is designed to make our rural towns and villages more attractive places to live, work and visit, the department says.

Under the scheme, property owners will be provided with funding to improve the facades of their buildings, carry out artwork and install features such as canopies and street furniture.

The 124 towns and villages announced by the minister today were selected by each local authority, which will now begin the process of advertising locally for applications.

The types of projects to be supported include:

Minister Humphreys today encouraged business and property owners in any of the 124 towns and villages selected to contact their local authority for information on how to apply, stating:

“This unique initiative is about making our rural towns and villages more attractive and welcoming places for locals and visitors alike.

“We all know that even the most modest of improvements to our buildings and streetscapes can make a huge difference.

“If you are a business or property owner in any of the 124 towns and villages selected, I encourage you to contact your local authority for details on how to apply.

“I have no doubt the projects funded this initiative will make a huge difference to our rural towns and villages and, most importantly, the families who live there.”

For those interested, the list of towns is included available here.