Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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962. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the manner in which her Department supports agricultural shows; the individual shows supported; the allocation and expenditure from 2018 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24420/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Since 2018 my Department has provided funding of almost €2.3 million to the Irish Shows Association (ISA) for agricultural shows throughout Ireland. These shows are regarded as key dates in the rural calendar and central points for the agri-food industry, farming community and local artisan producers.

The agricultural shows support programme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 as part of “Our Rural Future". The funding is used for the operational costs associated with running the shows with the ISA working with the Department to distribute funding to individual affiliated show committees.

Set out in the table below are details of the almost €2.3m supports allocated and paid to the individual shows. In 2020/2021 shows were not run due to ongoing public health restrictions, but reduced funding was put in place in light of ongoing costs which arose at that time.

I hope to make an announcement on support for 2023 in the coming weeks.