Border counties in the Republic are to receive €4 million in funding from the International Fund for Ireland for new tourism facilities and community centres.
The international fund, established by the Irish and British governments to promote development in Northern Ireland, will see the money directed to projects in counties Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Louth.
The chairman of the International Fund for Ireland, Mr William McCarter, said the investment was aimed at making a difference for communities throughout the region. "It is ingenuity and talent at local level that we seek to harness and assist, and we look forward to continuing to assist this great long work into the future," Mr McCarter said.
The small community of Dobhair, Co Donegal, will receive almost €400,000 towards a community resource centre, including enterprise units for start-up businesses, an auditorium and office space.
The Laird jam factory site in Drumshambo, Co Leitrim, will also see the construction of a new food centre of excellence, which will link up with organic food producers in the region.
Tourism in Co Louth will also receive a boost with the allocation of €500,000 towards a coffee shop, retail facilities to complement the Highlanes Gallery project in Drogheda. The gallery will ultimately house a large collection of local paintings.
The International Fund for Ireland says in total it has invested more than €700 million in 5,000 projects and led to the creation of around 40,000 jobs. It has also helped leverage substantial amounts of public and private investment into various projects.
