Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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166. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which he will be in a position to offer development assistance to the various tidy towns committees in County Kildare which have in the past participated in their respective competitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19294/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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2018 is a very special year for the SuperValu TidyTowns Competition as it marks the 60th Anniversary of what has been a very successful Government initiative. The work done by the TidyTowns committees down through the years has played an important part in the improvement of the appearance of our villages, towns and cities around the country.

To mark the 60thanniversary of the competition, I allocated funding in excess of €1.3 million to over 900 TidyTowns Committees at the end of 2017 to assist them in their preparations for the 2018 competition. 41 groups in County Kildare between them received a total of €75,000 in funding.

While this grant was provided on a once-off basis, my Department administers a number of funding schemes including the LEADER programme and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme which may also support elements of the work of TidyTowns Committees. Details of all available schemes can be found on my Department's website at www.drcd.gov.ie.