MK Municipal District members hear of proposed Christmas lighting budget

Westmeath County Council are set to increase their support for community Christmas lighting in the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District by over €13k for 2025.

Details of funding for the Christmas lights programmes were announced at a recent Mullingar Kinnegad MD meeting.

The Town and Village Christmas Lighting Grant Scheme for 2025 was opened for applications by Westmeath County Council (WCC) earlier this year.

The proposed total grant allocation in the MD for 2025 is €61,200.00, which is an increase from the 2024 total of €54,100, but below the €65,693.09 requested by the groups.

The largest single recipient is the county town where Mullingar Lights Committee c/o Mullingar Chamber were awarded €34,000 to put up and maintain the festive illumination. Kinnegad Action Group/Community Council were next on the list with an allocation of €5,500, up from last year's grant of €2,468.75.

The Delvin Christmas Lights Committee saw their budget for the 2025 Christmas lights increase from last years €1,118.75 to €2,500, while €1,000 allocations were made to Clonmellon, Coole, Crookedwood, Finda, Milltownpass, Raharney Rochfortbridge, Streete and Whitehall.

Drumcree, who did not make an application last year, received €500. Only Collinstown and Rochfortbridge saw their allocation reduced compared to last year, reflecting the fact they sought a lower allocation this year.