Tag Archives: Rural and Community Development

Tidy Towns committees throughout Clare will be busy over the coming months improving their locality following the return of the national annual competition. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced the return of the SuperValu TidyTowns Competition. The iconic competition was cancelled in 2020 – for the first time in over 60 years – due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, special arrangements have now been put in place to ensure the return of the competition this year, with the overall winners due to be announced before the end of the year. This competition will take place in the same format as previous years, albeit with a specific emphasis on electronic entry and remote adjudication of each town’s entry. Groups should continue to adhere to public health guidelines as they have done so remarkably well since the onset of the pandemic. The health and safety of volunteers continues to be paramount. It is acknowledged that volunteers …

THE Minister for Rural and Community Development,  Michael Ring has today (Monday May 11) announced the opening of the online application system for the €35 million COVID-19 Stability Fund for Community and Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises. Following last Friday’s announcement of a €40 million funding package for the sector, applications are now being invited for the €35 million Stability Fund. The Fund will provide immediate, short term cash flow to qualifying organisations which provide critical services to those most vulnerable in society. The funding will be prioritised for those organisations which are most in need and have seen their trading and/or fundraising income drop significantly during the crisis. With funding being provided from the Dormant Accounts Fund, the new Stability Fund will provide a once off grant to qualifying organisations. The Fund will focus on organisations providing supports and services in the following sectors: · Health and Social Care (including addiction, disability and mental health) · Child and …