Press Release
Wednesday, 29 April 2026
Minister Calleary opens the ‘Building and Land Acquisition Measure’ for applications under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme
- Up to €500,000 available to local authorities to acquire buildings or land for re-development into multi-use community assets
- Local authorities may acquire up to 3 buildings or sites
- Follows on the 2025 Building and Land Acquisition Measure which supported local authorities to acquire 24 properties across the country which will now be developed for community use
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, has today (Wednesday, 29 April 2026) announced a new call for proposals under the Building and Land Acquisition Measure of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
Minister Calleary said:
“The Building and Land Acquisition Measure is one of a suite of supports that my department has put in place to support local communities in their work to regenerate rural towns and villages and to enhance the vibrancy of rural places.
“I am committed to ensuring that we build on the unprecedented levels of investment that have been put in place in recent years.”
Minister of State Jerry Buttimer noted the opening of the measure:
“This funding represents a real opportunity for local authorities and communities to work together – to transform vacant and underused buildings into vibrant, multi-purpose spaces that meet local needs. By bringing these properties back into active use, we are not only enhancing the physical appearance of our towns and villages, but also creating places where people can connect, collaborate and build stronger communities.”
Funding of up to €13 million is being made availableto enable local authorities to acquire vacant and derelict buildings or lands. Under the initiative, local authorities can apply for funding of up to €500,000, which can be used to purchase up to 3 buildings or sites to re-develop into multi-purpose community facilities or infrastructure.
The funding, under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, is designed to make our towns and villages more attractive places in which to live, visit, invest and raise a family. Since the launch of the scheme, over €210 million has been allocated to more than 1,900 projects.
This follows on the 2025 Building and Land Acquisition Measure which saw the purchase of former station houses, national schools and town centre sites for future development into useful modern community spaces. Examples include:
- €450,000 to purchase three adjoining derelict-properties in Newcastle West, County Limerick to transform into a multi-purpose youth and community centre and social enterprise facility.
- €250,000 to purchase ‘Siamsa na Carraige’, in Baile na nGall in the heart of the West Kerry Gaeltacht, to refurbish and modernise the building as a multi-purpose arts centre. This centre was one of the National Folk Theatre of Ireland’s ‘Tithe Siamsa’, built as training feeder centres for local traditional talent through the medium of Irish.
- €100,000 to purchase Teach a town centre greenfield site in Bunclody, County Wexford for development into a park creating a link to the River Slaney and provide the community with public realm facilities.
Details of all the completed projects under the 2025 Building and Land Acquisition Measure can be found online at gov.ie.
In opening the 2026 Building and Land Acquisition Measure Call for Proposals today, Minister Calleary encouraged councils to work with communities in pinpointing buildings or land that meet their needs.
Minister Calleary stated:
“This initiative is already having a hugely positive impact right across rural Ireland. With the support of my Department, councils have been given the resources they need to purchase buildings or lands that have been lying idle for years.
“Given the success of this Building and Land Acquisition measure to date, including the acquisition of 24 properties under the 2025 scheme, I’m delighted to now announce the availability of further funding.
“Today, I’m inviting all eligible local authorities to submit up to 3 buildings or lands for purchase, and we will provide them with funding of up to €500,000 to do so.
“Buildings or lands purchased will be taken into public ownership and, most importantly, will be turned into spaces where the local community can gather and hold events.”
Preasráiteas: Cuireann an tAire Calleary fáilte roimh iarratais ar an mBeart Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún faoin Scéim Athnuachana Bailte agus Sráidbhailte
Preasráiteas
Dé Céadaoin, an 29 Aibreán 2026
Cuireann an tAire Calleary fáilte roimh iarratais ar an mBeart Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún faoin Scéim Athnuachana Bailte agus Sráidbhailte
- Suas le €500,000 ar fáil d’údaráis áitiúla chun foirgnimh
nó talamh a fháil le hathfhorbairt mar acmhainní pobail ilúsáide - Is féidir le húdaráis áitiúla suas le 3 fhoirgneamh nó láithreán a fháil
- Leanann sé an Beart Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún 2025 a thacaigh le húdaráis áitiúla 24 mhaoin a fháil ar fud na tíre a fhorbrófar anois lena n-úsáid ag an bpobal
Inniu, Dé Céadaoin (an 29 Aibreán 2026) d’fhógair an tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, gairm nua ar thograí faoin mBeart Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún sa Scéim Athnuachana Bailte agus Sráidbhailte.
Dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Tá an Beart Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún ar cheann de shraith tacaíochtaí a chuir mo Roinnse i bhfeidhm chun tacú le pobail áitiúla ina gcuid oibre chun bailte agus sráidbhailte tuaithe a athnuachan agus chun beocht áiteanna tuaithe a fheabhsú.
“Táim tiomanta a chinntiú go dtógfaimid ar na leibhéil infheistíochta nach bhfacthas riamh cheana, a cuireadh i bhfeidhm le blianta beaga anuas.”
Dúirt an tAire Stáit Jerry Buttimer faoi oscailt an bhirt:
“Is deis fhíor í an maoiniú seo d’údaráis áitiúla agus do phobail oibriú le chéile – chun foirgnimh atá folamh nó nach mbaintear a lán úsáid astu a chlaochlú ina spásanna beoga, ilchuspóireacha a chomhlíonann riachtanais áitiúla. Trí na réadmhaoine seo a thabhairt ar ais in úsáid ghníomhach, ní hamháin go bhfuilimid ag feabhsú cuma fhisiciúil ár mbailte agus ár sráidbhailte, ach ag cruthú áiteanna freisin inar féidir le daoine nascadh, comhoibriú agus pobail níos láidre a thógáil.”
Cuirfear maoiniú suas le €13 mhilliún ar fáil chun go mbeidh údaráis áitiúla in ann foirgnimh nó tailte folmha agus tréigthe a fháil. Faoin tionscnamh, is féidir le húdaráis áitiúla iarratas a dhéanamh ar mhaoiniú suas le €500,000, ar féidir é a úsáid chun suas le trí fhoirgneamh nó láithreán a cheannach le hathfhorbairt mar shaoráidí pobail ilchuspóireacha nó mar bhonneagar.
Dearadh an maoiniú, faoin Scéim Athnuachana Bailte agus Sráidbhailte chun ár mbailte agus ár sráidbhailte a dhéanamh níos tarraingtí d’áiteanna cónaithe, cuairte, infheistíocht a dhéanamh agus teaghlach a thógáil iontu. Ó seoladh an scéim, leithdháileadh os cionn €210 milliún ar níos mó ná 1,900 tionscadal.
Ceannaíodh seantithe stáisiúin, scoileanna náisiúnta agus láithreáin lár bailte faoin Scéim Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún 2025 le forbairt amach anseo mar spásanna pobail nua-aimseartha úsáideacha. Seo a leanas roinnt samplaí;
- €450,000 chun trí mhaoin thréigthe in aice láimhe a cheannach sa Chaisleán Nua, Contae Luimnigh le forbairt mar ionad ilchuspóireach don aos óg agus don phobal agus mar áis fiontraíochta sóisialta.
- €250,000 chun ‘Siamsa na Carraige’ a cheannach, i mBaile na nGall i gcroílár Ghaeltacht Chiarraí Thiar, chun an foirgneamh a athchóiriú agus a nuachóiriú mar ionad ealaíon ilchuspóireach. Ba cheann de thithe siamsa Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann an t-ionad seo, a tógadh mar ionaid oiliúna do thallann traidisiúnta áitiúil trí mheán na Gaeilge.
- €100,000 chun suíomh úrnua i lár an bhaile, Teach, a cheannach i mBun Clóidí, Contae Loch Garman, le forbairt mar pháirc ina gcruthaítear nasc le hAbhainn na Sláine agus ina soláthraítear áiseanna poiblí don phobal.
Is féidir sonraí faoi na tionscadail uile a críochnaíodh faoin mBeart Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún 2025 a fháil ar líne ag gov.ie.
Agus gairm ar thograí á hoscailt aige inniu faoin mBeart Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún, spreag an tAire Calleary comhairlí chun oibriú le pobail chun foirgnimh nó talamh a chomhlíonann a gcuid riachtanas a aithint.
Dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Tá tionchar thar a bheith dearfach ag an tionscnamh seo cheana féin ar fud cheantair thuaithe na hÉireann. Le tacaíocht ó mo Roinnse, tugadh na hacmhainní atá de dhíth orthu do chomhairlí chun foirgnimh nó tailte a cheannach atá díomhaoin le blianta.
“I bhfianaise rath an Bhirt Faighte Foirgnimh agus Talún go dtí seo, lena n-áirítear fáil 24 mhaoin faoi scéim 2025, tá áthas orm a fhógairt anois go bhfuil maoiniú breise ar fáil.
“Tugaim cuireadh inniu do gach údarás áitiúil incháilithe suas le trí fhoirgneamh nó limistéar talún a chur isteach lena gceannach, agus cuirfimid maoiniú suas le €500,000 ar fáil dóibh chun é sin a dhéanamh.
“Tabharfar foirgnimh nó tailte a cheannófar faoi úinéireacht phoiblí agus, níos tábhachtaí fós, déanfar spásanna díobh inar féidir leis an bpobal áitiúil teacht le chéile agus imeachtaí a reáchtáil.”