Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

60. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of funding allocated to agricultural shows and tidy towns in 2017; his plans to repeat the contribution in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18925/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In 2017, I made €812,000 available, on a once off basis, towards the running costs of Agricultural shows around the country, in recognition of the impact which bad weather had on those shows during the summer months. 120 shows each received funding of up to €7,000 through the Irish Shows Association.

I also announced a once off funding scheme in November 2017 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Tidy Towns competition in 2018. Under the scheme, and based on the TidyTowns categories, TidyTowns Committees in villages were eligible to receive €1,000. Committees in small towns were eligible to receive €2,000; in large towns €3,000; and in large urban centres €4,000.

The purpose of the scheme was to recognise, in a small way, the hard work and dedication of the volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the past 60 years in the TidyTowns movement.

In total, over €1.3 million was allocated to over 900 TidyTowns Committees across the country under the scheme. I am delighted that so many Committees were able to avail of the grant and I hope that it will help in the work they carry out in 2018.

These were both once-off grants to mark special circumstances and I have no plans to run similar grant schemes for TidyTowns or Agricultural Shows in 2018.