Former garda stations, post office and schools are to be converted for community use under a scheme that will “breathe new life” into towns and villages, according to Minister for Rural and Community Affairs Heather Humphreys.
The minister will announce €4.5m in funding for 24 projects, which she says will reduce dereliction and vacancy in rural communities.
“We are taking rundown buildings and turning them into facilities that will benefit communities for generations to come,” she said.
This will “drive footfall” into town centres, she said, increasing tourism and make towns and villages “better places to live, work, invest, visit and raise a family”.
Among the projects include an old garda barracks in Bellacorrick in Co Mayo, which will be converted into a gym and remote working hub.
A former bakery in Belturbet in Co Cavan, a former pub in Tipperary town and a former parochial hall in Finglas in Dublin, will all be turned into multi-purpose community spaces.
The projects will include:
- Ballyroan, Co Laois: A former national school to be used as a multi-purpose community venue.
- Bellacorrick, Co Mayo: A former garda barracks to be used as a multi-purpose community hub, community gym and remote working hub.
- Enfield, Co, Meath: A former parish hall to be used as a multipurpose community space.
- Finglas, North County Dublin: A former parochial hall, parochial house and coach house to be converted into a multi-purpose community space.
- Villierstown, Co Waterford: To regenerate a site with derelict buildings into a modern permanent structure including a boathouse, camping site, additional parking facilities, multi-purpose community space.
- Belturbet, Co Cavan: A former bakery for conversion into a multi-purpose community facility.
- Gorey, Co Wexford: A former credit union to be developed for 21st century use.
- Co Leitrim: Purchase of a two storey semi-detached house to create a blueway hub.
- Tipperary Town, Co Tipperary: Redevelopment of a three-storey former public house and fast foot outlet into a multi-purpose community space.
