Green Party's Butler queries Tidy Towns allocations

Green Party councillor Marianne Butler has queried the allocation process for Dundalk Municipal District’s Amenity Grant scheme, demanding to know what the criteria is for making allocations to Tidy Town groups.

“I’m very surprised about how the money is allocated to Tidy Towns. If we’re going on the size of the town or village, I can’t support what’s in front of me,” she said as the councillors discussed the proposed grants at last week’s meeting at Dundalk Town Hall.

“We’re dealing with very different scales of operation,” she added. Councillor Conor Keelan felt his colleague raised a “legitimate point.”

“I don’t want to see a delay in them getting money,” Butler continued, “but there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how money is allocated to each grouping.

“It’s transparent and clear when it comes to residents, it should be with Tidy Towns.”

Councillors at last Tuesday’s meeting accepted the grants allocated to residents associations and community groups, amounting to €39,800 and €5,670 respectively. However, the decision on passing the grants for Tidy Towns will now not be taken until May.

That is to allow the council to report back to councillors on the criteria for allocations to Tidy Towns groups.

The largest proposed grant for Tidy Towns groups in the Dundalk Municipal area was €2,500 while the smallest sat at €800. Butler wants to know how the amounts were reached.