Shows back Ring on funding issue

THE Irish Shows Association have come out strongly in support of Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, after he was a criticised recently by a West of Ireland TD for a ‘cut’ in funding to Irish shows.

Earlier this month, Roscommon/Galway Fianna Fáil TD, Eugene Murphy, tabled a Dáil question in which he called for ‘a reversal of a €200,000 cut in funding’ for the shows from 2018 to 2019.

Catherine Cotter, National PRO for the Irish Shows Association, said that on behalf of the 120 eligible member shows across Ireland, she wanted to express her sincere gratitude to Minister Ring for his support of their events.

“The Irish Shows Association wishes to reiterate our sincere gratitude, on behalf of our 120 eligible member shows, for the allocation of €600,000 in funding for 2019. This came on top of €812,000 in 2018.

“This is a significant amount of money and underscores Minister Ring’s and his department’s commitment to rural communities. The Irish Shows Association works closely with Minister Ring and his office to ensure the fairest possible distribution of this funding,” Catherine Cotter.

She said that the funding was used to invest in the development of the show grounds as well as in the provision of safety and IT equipment.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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