Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 1996

Vol. 469 No. 6

Written Answers. - Tidy Towns Competition.

Tony Killeen

Question:

37 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to complaints regarding mistakes in the marking of the 1996 tidy towns competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16547/96]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

I am not aware of any case where mistakes were made in the marking of this year's tidy towns competition. However, in the case of Bruff, County Limerick, the tidy towns committee, while sent the correct marks for the year, was through an error, given an adjudicator's report for a different centre. On the day after the results issued, this error was brought to my Department's attention and rectified. Apologies were extended to the Bruff committee and the correct adjudicator's report was sent to it.

I am also aware that a small number of the 729 towns and villages which entered this year's competition have raised concerns about their lower placing, or lower percentage marks, in comparison with their placing or marks in previous years. This may have arisen, in some cases at least, because following a detailed review of the competition, carried out in close consultation with all relevant interests, the marking scheme and adjudication criteria were totally revamped this year to take account of a much wider spectrum of factors which impact on the built and natural environment in Irish towns and villages. Towns and villages were judged this year by the independent panel of outside adjudicators on the basis of the new criteria. No direct comparisons can therefore be drawn between a previous year's percentage and those which a town or village achieved this year.