Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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951. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding streams that are available to a group (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33665/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I was pleased to be in a position at the 2021 SuperValu TidyTowns awards ceremony to announce a funding package of €1.5 million to support TidyTowns groups in preparing for the 2022 competition. This brings the total funding allocated to TidyTowns groups to €6.7 million since my Department was established in 2017.

To qualify, a TidyTowns group  needed to have entered the competition any year over the previous three years. I understand the group referred to by the Deputy last entered the competition in 2013 and as a consequence did not qualify.

My Department also provides a wide range of investment programmes to support the development of rural areas, including through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the LEADER Programme, the Town & Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the CLÁR programme.

I would encourage the Group to engage with their local authority or LEADER Local Action Group to discuss the investment programme that is most suitable to their needs.