Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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635. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total operational budget for the national TidyTowns awards in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56386/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Supervalu TidyTowns competition is a unique community movement which has a huge impact on our communities throughout Ireland. It is an extremely effective and important sustainability initiative in Ireland, both from an environmental and community perspective. It encourages communities to improve their local environment and make their area a better place to live, work and visit. The competition has evolved in recent years, widening its focus to supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Communities involved in TidyTowns contribute to making places great locations to live in, to work in or to visit, where volunteers work together to make their own place brighter, friendlier and more inclusive.

I was delighted to announce Trim, Co Meath as the winner of Ireland's Tidiest Town 2022 at an award ceremony in the RDS last month. At the event I announced a funding package of €1.4 million to recognise the voluntary effort undertaken by Tidy Town groups the length and breadth of the country and to support groups preparing for next year's competition. Similarly, last year I announced the allocation of €1.5 million to support groups preparing for this year's completion, and €8.1 million has been allocated by my Department to the groups since my Department was established in 2017.

In addition to this, funding of €150,000 is allocated by my Department for the administration of the annual SuperValu TidyTowns competition. This funding is further supplemented by sponsorship from SuperValu, which meets expenses incurred in administering the competition.