Sunday, April 25, 2010

Clare Receives Funding To Clean Up Tourist Sites

Clare T.D. and Minister for Defence, Tony Killeen has welcomed the Department of the Environment’s allocation of €15,000 to Clare County Council, as part of a newly launched scheme to support local authorities in keeping key tourist areas clear of litter during the summer.

Minister Killeen said the funding allocation formed part of a Government commitment to provide €1.5m over the next three years to support cleaning of key scenic, rural and visitor areas during the peak tourist season from May to September.

He noted that an additional €1m in Litter Awareness Grants would be allocated to Local Authorities later this year to support public education and awareness initiatives in relation to both litter and graffiti.

Minister Killeen commented: “The Government is committed to helping Local Authorities tackle the menace of litter. The problem of litter is not unique to Clare but it should be noted that the local economy depends heavily on tourism. The anti-litter grant that has been allocated to Clare County Council will assist local efforts to clean up local tourist sites.”

“Those who litter our tourist sites are economic vandals as they undermine the amenity value of the areas concerned. The funds being allocated to Clare County Council will assist it in its ongoing work to ensure that the County’s most important tourism assets are protected”, added Minister Killeen.