Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has outlined certain streams of funding available but the national fleadh would not be able to avail of any of them. We hope in Mullingar to make a successful bid for 2020 or 2021 at the next available opportunity.

This is does not affect Mullingar only. It affects any provincial town that has to host a fleadh. It is a phenomenal festival with 400,000 visitors descending on a town for a week. It is worth €40 million to the local economy. There is nothing like it. A total of 100,000 international visitors come in for it. Given the work that Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann is doing to promote heritage internationally and attract people to our country, the Minister should consider funding the host town to put on the fleadh. Whether it is Drogheda, Offaly, Tullamore, Sligo or Derry, they do a good job but they could do with some additional support and, in light of the great numbers they attract to the island, they should get greater support from the Government.

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