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Announcing the new initiative today, Minister Humphreys said:

"We have all seen the huge success of towns like Kinsale, Adare and others who have put a major focus on improving their streetscapes by painting buildings in vibrant colours, upgrading and restoring their traditional shop-fronts and removing unnecessary clutter from their main streets.

"This new initiative is about Local Authorities thinking strategically and working in collaboration with local businesses and property owners to add colour and vibrancy to our rural towns and villages.

"Outdoor dining is here to stay and I believe that will only be a positive for towns and villages across the country. Through this fund, we want to make sure that people are looking out at vibrant, colourful and welcoming streets in our rural towns.

"The Streetscape Enhancement Initiative will directly support property owners to undertake work such as shop-front improvement, the painting of buildings in vibrant colours, upgrades to signage and lighting, the development of green areas and the installation of canopies and street furniture."

The Streetscape Enhancement Measure will be administered by Local Authorities who will be requested to nominate at least two towns per county. Participating towns and villages will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Minister Humphreys concluded:

"'Our Rural Future', the government’s ambitious five-year policy for Rural Ireland, commits to assisting in the regeneration, repopulation and development of our rural towns and villages.

"Through this new and unique initiative, I am committed to ensuring that our rural towns and villages are attractive and appealing places for families to live, work and visit. I am really looking forward to seeing the type of projects that come forward for funding via the local authorities over the coming weeks."