From:Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, today (Friday, 24 July 2026) visited Tipperary and Clare to officially open a number of community facilities and regeneration projects supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.

The Minister began the day in Thurles, where he officially opened the new Thurles Market Quarter, a landmark regeneration project supported by more than €3.4 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF).

Speaking at the opening, Minister Calleary said:

“I am delighted to be in Thurles today, the birthplace of the GAA ahead of what is a very special GAA weekend with the All-Ireland Football Finals and what is even more special is to see this magnificent regeneration project that has taken place here.

“This project has revitalised a key town-centre location, providing new opportunities for local enterprise, live music, cultural activities, family events, exhibitions and community gatherings.

“RRDF is the flagship funding scheme in my Department and it is great to see what can be done when all stakeholders work together and I very much look forward to visiting other projects in the county today.”

The project in Thurles has transformed a vacant 19th-century agricultural building and car park to create the Thurles Market Quarter, including a vibrant multi-purpose civic space, covered market and thriving café space.

The Minister then officially opened the Loughtagalla Biodiversity Play Park, a community-led project, which has transformed the existing park into a safe, inclusive and accessible biodiversity play space for Thurles and the surrounding area through support from the LEADER Programme, the Community Climate Action Fund, Tipperary County Council and community fundraising.

Later in the morning, the Minister officially opened Carrig Community Park, a new community amenity developed with support of €176,000 through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

The Minister then visited St Ruadhan's Hall and the SCEAL Community Shop and Café in Lorrha, recognising investment delivered through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, LEADER, and CLÁR.

Speaking in Tipperary, Minister Calleary said:

"It is always a privilege to visit communities and see first-hand the impact that Government investment is having on towns and villages across the country. These projects demonstrate what can be achieved when local communities, local authorities and development organisations work together with Government to deliver lasting improvements for the people they serve.

"From restoring a vacant town centre building to provide a transformative multi-functional space, to inclusive playgrounds, community parks, rescue services and energy-efficient community facilities, these projects are creating places where people can meet, connect, work, volunteer and enjoy their local communities.

"The Government is committed to supporting sustainable rural development, ensuring that our towns and villages remain attractive places to live, work, visit and raise families. I look forward to meeting the many volunteers, community groups and local organisations whose commitment has made these projects possible."

In Clare, Minister Calleary launched the Bunratty Search and Rescue's new rescue vessel,Rineanna, alongside refurbishment works to the existing vesselSRK Saoirse. The investment has equipped the voluntary rescue service with modern, fully compliant vessels to support lifesaving operations on the Shannon Estuary.

The Minister also officially opened the newly refurbished Lahinch Playground and launch the Clare Outdoor Recreation Plan. The upgraded playground features a range of accessible and inclusive play equipment designed to provide high-quality recreational opportunities while withstanding the challenging coastal environment.

The day's programme concluded with the official opening of Corofin Community Centre, where Community Centre Investment Funding has supported improved accessibility, safety and energy efficiency, including CCTV, retractable seating, solar photovoltaic panels and insulation works.

Rural Regeneration and Development Fund

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major capital investment programme which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas, directly supporting the objectives of Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy.

Since the RRDF was established in 2018, funding of over €610 million has been approved for 270 projects nationwide, including over €58 million allocated to 17 projects located across Co. Tipperary and over €25 million allocated to 14 projects located across Co. Clare.

The 2023-2027 LEADER programme has total funding of €180 million, with over 1,350 projects approved to date for LEADER funding of over €67 million, supporting a broad range of enterprises and community groups across rural Ireland. Under the 2023-2027 LEADER programme Tipperary has been allocated €7.8 million of funding, to provide support to rural communities and rural enterprises. LEADER is co-funded as an intervention under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Town and Village Renewal Scheme

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is one of several measures designed to rejuvenate Ireland's towns and villages. The programme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 as part of “Our Rural Future – Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025”. This scheme supports the revitalisation of rural Ireland by focusing on stimulating town centre economic and social regeneration..

Since the launch of the TVRS scheme in 2016, over €210 million has been allocated to support the delivery of over 1,900 projects nationwide. Of this Tipperary County Council has been allocated almost €10 million in TVRS funding for 76 projects.

The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Under the fund a total of €100 million has been provided to local authorities to support cities, towns and villages nationwide. Clare County Council have been allocated over €5.5 million towards 108 projects under the Community Recognition Fund.

Community Centres Investment Fund

The Community Centre Investment Fund is there to provide that unity and that resilience by supporting communities to enhance and refurbish their community facilities, to act as a go to place for meetings, for social events and for the wider community to engage in a range of social, sporting and community services. Under CCIF 22 County Clare was allocated over €1.1 million to support the refurbishment and upgrade to 24 community centres. Under CCIF 2024, County Clare was allocated over €1.3 million to support the refurbishment of a further 31 community centres.

CLÁR is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that aims to provide funding for small infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population and/or socio-economic disadvantage and geographic remoteness. Over €2.7 million has been allocated to Co. Tipperary for 64 projects and over €3.4 million to County Clare for 73 projects since 2020.