Monaghan County Council drew down just €150,000 from the Government's €409 million Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund, the same amount as Cavan County Council, and a Carrickmacross councillor has called the allocation "disgusting". Sinn Féin's Colm Carthy raised the figures at the most recent meeting of Monaghan County Council and told Northern Sound on Wednesday, 21 October, that rural councils need a "fairer share of the pie".
Cllr Carthy said that when he questioned the allocation, the county executive replied that more of the funding goes to larger urban areas, which works against rural counties such as Cavan and Monaghan, where Monaghan town is the only place considered a "larger urban area". He also criticised the way the Government uses council match-funding in the process, Northern Sound reported.
Where the €150,000 is going
Monaghan's allocation is for the St Louis Convent Lands in Monaghan town. Northern Sound reported in September that the money will support improvements to community spaces and help unlock the potential of the site in the heart of the town. It follows the €7 million secured for the redevelopment of the historic St Louis Convent Chapel, which Fine Gael councillor Alan Johnston called a "transformational investment in one of Monaghan's most important heritage sites". Cllr Johnston said the Convent Lands could become "a fantastic community asset".
How the fund works
Housing Minister James Browne announced the list of almost 120 projects across every local authority on 14 September, according to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The fund replaces the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) and prioritises redevelopment of vacant or underused sites, public realm work and community and civic infrastructure, with a focus on the most disadvantaged areas of towns and cities.
The department says the €409 million "will be available if local authorities can meet the targets set out in their applications". Eligibility is aimed at cities and larger towns: a census review added towns of 9,000 people to the criteria, and smaller towns of under 10,000 can qualify only where they generate 2,500 jobs or more. Most councils were limited to two projects in each funding category, while those with five or more eligible towns could apply for three.
Regeneration money has been a recurring theme for Monaghan's councillors this autumn; see our report on the proposed cut to PEACE PLUS funding.
