Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne has announced that €90 million in funding has been awarded to local authorities through THRIVE – the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme.
Co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, THRIVE empowers local authorities to reimagine and adapt heritage buildings to create useful, vibrant and sustainable cultural and community hubs. THRIVE isn’t just about restoring buildings, it’s about
nurturing a new design ethos in Irish town regeneration, combining Europe’s green vision with local energy and ambition.THRIVE demonstrates how strategic investment can ignite local regeneration, bringing design, innovation and community vision together under the Government’s Town Centre First policy and supporting the New European Bauhaus approach.
Through a competitive funding call, local authorities demonstrated how citizen and community engagement determined the most beneficial end use for these buildings. Funded projects will include the transformation of disused libraries, barracks, halls, banks and more into spaces such as multi-functional community hubs, museums and event spaces, some of which even have roof gardens for the public to enjoy.
Funding has been awarded to the following projects:
€90 millionTotal Funding
Welcoming the funding awards, Minister Browne said:
“This funding is about bringing our heritage buildings into the 21st century – giving local authorities the support they need to preserve and protect these important assets, and ensure their sustainable re-use for future generations. These kind of regeneration projects add to the vibrancy of our towns and cities – revitalising our urban spaces and making them better places to live, work and visit.”
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity said:
“Our heritage buildings are a vital national asset – they enrich our villages, towns and cities, and there’s no reason we can’t make use of these landmarks while protecting their historic value. So I’m delighted that we are helping to support local authorities and local citizens to revitalise some of these wonderful buildings for the benefit of everyone in their communities.”
John Cummins, Minister of State for Local Government and Planning said:
“The Government is committed to tackling vacancy in our towns and cities. THRIVE funding will support heritage-led regeneration and contribute to the fulfilment of our Town Centre First policy. Town Centre First is about local authorities engaging with their communities to develop new plans to transform and celebrate underused heritage buildings for the benefit of everyone in the local area – breathing new life into towns and urban centres across the country.”
David Kelly, Director of the Southern Regional Assembly, said:
“The response to the THRIVE call has been exceptional, showing the appetite across our regions to tackle vacancy and bring heritage buildings back to life. THRIVE represents a turning point in how we approach regeneration in our regions. It brings together European funding, national funding and local expertise to create a blueprint for sustainable heritage restoration. This approach will not only transform individual towns but will also shape how we think about regeneration on a national scale.”
Conall McGettigan, Director of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, said:
"The Regional Assemblies support balanced regional development and the revitalisation of towns as outlined in our Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies. Today’s announcement is a positive example of the use of ERDF funding to assist heritage regeneration projects across some of our Counties key urban centre’s, enabling local authorities and communities to revitalise a number of landmark heritage assets across our region."
Cathaoirleach of the Southern Regional Assembly, Cllr Andrew McGuinness, said:
“Heritage buildings are part of the identity of our towns, holding memories and stories that matter to local people. This significant investment in the Southern Region and the Eastern and Midland Region puts communities firmly at the heart of town centre regeneration. It gives local people a say in how heritage buildings are repurposed, ensuring they meet the needs of modern life while celebrating their historic value.”
Cathaoirleach of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, Cllr Michéal Frain, said:
"I welcome the substantial funding announced today which will empower local authorities in our region to revitalise historic buildings in town centres, blending preservation with modern needs and guaranteeing these valuable sites remain useful for generations to come. The Thrive Projects referenced in today's funding announcement will make a real difference."
THRIVE is shaping a sustainable and inclusive future for Ireland’s town-centres and encourages a citizen-centred, community-led approach to planning, design, and project selection within the Town Centre First framework. It targets tackling vacancy and dereliction and the long term protection of our heritage assets.
The projects announced today are expected to start in late 2025 and will deliver long-lasting benefits for the local communities.
THRIVE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Northern and Western Regional Programme and the ERDF Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 21-27. The scheme has been co-designed by the Regional Assemblies and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to address European, national and regional policy objectives.
Further information is available at www.nwra.ie and www.southernassembly.ie
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