Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 May 2018
20. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans in relation to the 60th anniversary of Tidy Towns; if there are special elements to 2018 competition in view of the anniversary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18924/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans for the 60th anniversary of Tidy Towns, if there are any special elements in the 2018 competition in view of the anniversary, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The year 2018 is very special for the SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition as it marks the 60th anniversary of what has been a very successful Government initiative. The work done by the Tidy Towns committees down through the years has played an important part in the improvement of the appearance of villages, towns and cities around the country.
To assist committees to mark the 60th anniversary, I allocated funding of €1.4 million to Tidy Towns committees at the end of last year to help them prepare for the 2018 competition. I am delighted that more than 900 of the committees availed of the funding.
Officials in my Department also carried out a nationwide consultation process with Tidy Towns committees last year in order to revise and update the competition. As a result of this process, a number of changes were implemented to simplify the application process. Other changes aimed at improving the competition will follow in due course.
This year’s competition was launched on 28 March and includes a number of new special awards categories, including a schools award and an architectural award. A number of other initiatives to make this celebration year a memorable one for all the committees involved are being developed currently and details of these will be made available in due course.
I thank the Minister. Tidy Towns is a wonderful scheme. It has been in existence for 60 years and I want to compliment the Minister for the recognition that he gives to Tidy Towns organisations right across the State. I am a former treasurer of my local Tidy Towns committee in Clarecastle. The movement there has gone from strength to strength under the chairmanship of Mr. Christie Leyden and with the help of all the members. We have seen a transformation in our village. In last year's competition, Ennis was named as the tidiest large urban centre. That was wonderful as well. Ennis was joined by Kilrush, which was recognised as a gold medal winner in its category. I give the Minister credit for allocating €1.4 million to Tidy Towns last year. I also give him credit for bringing about some minor changes this year to bring schools on board and make architectural awards part of the scheme.
When does the Minister expect to make the new details known and launch the scheme formally?
I thank the Deputy for his comments. Tidy Towns is probably one of the best schemes in the country. I know the Acting Chairman's county has done well in Tidy Towns over the years. I was delighted to allocate the €1.4 million and I did this in recognition of the work that people do in a voluntary capacity.
To go back to the question I was asked, I call on all sporting organisations, businesses and communities to support for one year the Tidy Towns committees throughout the country. I am asking people to make a special effort on the 60th anniversary of the Tidy Towns committees. Perhaps a sporting organisation or a local factory could take a corner of a town or village and make an effort to improve it for one year. I call on all communities to give their support this year for the 60th anniversary. This was launched on 28 March and the closing date is 23 May. We will be writing to all Tidy Towns committees shortly to tell them of all the new schemes we are introducing and we have also had a consultation process with them.
This is a great scheme and we should give these people a bit of assistance this year. It is left to the few in every small village and town. Why can everybody not give a bit of help for one year, given it is the 60th anniversary? I make a plea to everybody to come out and support them, even Members of the Oireachtas, and to get involved for one year in their Tidy Towns committee to make it a special 60th year. It is good for towns and villages and good for the country.
I join the Minister's call to get sporting organisations and businesses to come on board to make a special effort in this 60th year. I also call on the Minister to provide additional funding as part of that recognition because it is a special year. While the Minister gave an allocation last year, we need to step up to the plate again and give due recognition to this wonderful organisation that works in a voluntary capacity in all our towns and villages throughout the State.
The Deputy has put it up to me. I responded last year because I have seen the work they do in every county, town and village. To me, it is not a grant or money for them. It is an investment in the country, given what they do for the community and the country.
I had responsibility for the national parks at one time and I saw the dumping that is happening in towns and villages, particularly in rural areas. The Minister, Deputy Naughten, and I allocated funding recently in regard to sophisticated measures to try to catch people who are dumping. Why should some people be cleaning up after others? We want to see more prosecutions and we want to support those who keep our communities, towns and villages clean and tidy. They deserve to be supported. On behalf of the Government and the Oireachtas, and on my own behalf, I thank all those involved in the Tidy Towns committees throughout the country. Sometimes we see them criticised, whether on Facebook or elsewhere, but I thank them for the work they do.
Deputy Carey did not get the money yet.
