Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the news from Government last week that the Tidy Towns competition will proceed in 2021.That news was welcomed by many volunteers and community groups across the country. In 2019, almost 900 communities and groups entered the Tidy Towns competition. We are deeply indebted to all those groups, individuals and volunteers who do such excellent work in our villages and towns each year. If I can be a bit parochial, we were particularly proud last year that the beautiful village of Glaslough, County Monaghan, scooped first prize.

This year, all those groups and communities have continued to work throughout the pandemic, while adhering to social distancing and other health guidelines, to ensure villages and towns were kept in pristine condition. They did that while knowing that there would be no judges this year, but that did not stop them from doing their work and ensuring their villages and towns were well kept. I commend them on that excellent work. While I welcomed the news from Government that the Tidy Towns competition would go ahead in 2021, I was somewhat taken aback by the fact that the Minister made no reference to funding for those groups. Those groups get minimal funding each year to assist them in their work. I ask the Leader to contact the Government and ask it to make the announcement that is made every year so that these groups and communities can plan for the work ahead in 2021.