Six Meath towns to benefit from streetscapes fund

Six Meath towns and villages are among 124 areas to benefit from a new €7 million fund to enhance streetscapes and shopfronts.

Ashbourne, Athboy, Oldcastle, Laytown, Bettystown and Slane have been earmarked for funding, with projects to include upgrades to building facades, artwork, murals, lighting, street furniture and canopies

"The investment is designed to make rural towns and villages more colourful, vibrant and attractive places." according to

Minister Humphrey, who is encouraging businesses and property owners to contact their local authority to apply for the funding.

She said the Streetscape Enhancement Initiative is designed to make our rural towns and villages more attractive places to live, work and visit.

Under the scheme, property owners will be provided with funding to improve the facades of their buildings, carry out artwork and install features such as canopies and street furniture.

The 124 towns and villages were selected by each local authority, and they will now begin the process of advertising locally for applications.

“Whether it’s painting buildings in vibrant colours, upgrading shop fronts or installing canopies or street furniture – this fund will provide a welcome boost to rural communities the length and breadth of the country.

“We all know that even the most modest of improvements to our buildings and streetscapes can make a huge difference.

“And so over the coming weeks, local authorities will work closely with businesses and property owners to give our towns and villages the facelift they deserve.”

The types of projects to be supported include strategic collaboration between property owners to paint buildings or shopfronts in vibrant colours, commissioning of murals in towns and villages, the upgrade or restoration of historic / traditional shopfronts, provision of street planting, shrubbery, trees and flowers boxes, illumination and lighting of architectural features, installation of canopies and street furniture and decluttering of streetscapes with removal of unnecessary signs / wires.

“When I launched the Government’s new rural policy, ‘Our Rural Future’, I said I wanted to reimagine and revitalise rural communities," said Minister Humphrey.

“This initiative is a key part of realising that goal. I am really looking forward to seeing the sort of proposals that are put forward over the coming weeks.

“If you are a business or property owner in any of the 124 towns and villages selected, I encourage you to contact your local authority for details on how to apply.

“I have no doubt the projects funded this initiative will make a huge difference to our rural towns and villages and, most importantly, the families who live there,” she concluded.