Septic Tank Fee Reduced

Tipperary Displaced Turf Cutters Compensation Doubled

Machined Turf Cutting

The deadline for compensation for displaced turf cutters has been extended and the money being offered has doubled, after fewer than half of the 1,500 people affected by an EU directive on Special Environmental Conservation Areas, had applied to join the scheme.

Three areas affected by this EU directive here in Co. Tipperary include Ballyduff/Clonfinane Bog, latter found to be of International importance for nature conservation, Barroughter Bog situated on the shores of Lough Derg, a few kilometres east of Woodford, and Kilcarren-Firville Bog situated approximately 2 km east of the village of Carrigahorig in North Tipperary.

Yesterday, Arts and Heritage Minister Jimmy Deenihan doubled the compensation on offer for the turf cutters, thus avoiding the prospect of Ireland having to pay a €25,000 daily fine to the European Commission.

To date, less than half of the turf cutters affected have applied for State compensation nationally, which was set up last year, and approximately 63 bog owners only have been paid.

Turf cutters from 14 different counties are now being offered €2,000 in compensation this year, a once-off payment of €500 and €1,500 per year for the next 15 years. The new changes come about following pressure by the Irish Farmers Association who claim that the level of compensation being offered to turf cutters was too low. Following protests by bog owners and turf cutters in Portumna, IFA Connacht Vice President Padraic Divilly stated last July that people need to be compensated fairly if they can’t cut turf.

Mr Deenihan also extended the deadline for applications for this compensation process to the end of next month.

The compensation on offer in these identified special conservation areas is now expected to encourage bog land owners to stop cutting with immediate effect. This year alone, the enhanced compensation is expected to cost the taxpayer another €2.5million.

National Tree Week Begins In Tipperary

“I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree.” Joyce Kilmer (1886 – 1918.)

Irish National Tree Week, organised by the Tree Council of Ireland, takes place from the 4th-10th of March 2012.

The theme for 2012 is ‘Trees – Our Past, Our Present, Our Future, ‘ and will be officially launched by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, with a tree planting ceremony at 1200 noon in Ardee, Co. Louth.

Here in Tipperary, residents are being prompted to plant more trees and are being asked to spare a thought and indeed celebrate our remarkable heritage of beautiful trees and woodlands here in the county.

Do recognise the significance of our trees and forests as being a living link to our past, an enjoyable and life-enhancing asset in the present time and of course a wise investment in our future.

No fewer than fifteen known events are taking place in Tipperary as part of this National Tree Week.

National Tree Week Events Being Held In Tipperary

Event (1): The Johnny Mc Carthy Woodturning exhibition.
Venue: Bookworm Workshop, Liberty Square, Thurles.
Dates: 4th – 17th March. Organising Body: Johnny Mc Carthy Woodturning.
Contact: Johnny Mc Carthy, Tel: 086 8326369.

Continue reading National Tree Week Begins In Tipperary

Templemore Lake To Benefit From LEADER Funding

The Templemore Community Eco Lake Rehabilitation works group are to benefit from North Tipperary LEADER Partnership Group, with the latter today granting approved funding of €90,309 for the towns next planned project.

This project involves the installation of a replacement sluice system, the drilling of a borehole and the supply of supplementary water to the existing lake. (Click on Image to enlarge)

Plans also include the felling of a number of trees and the planting / replacement of native trees.

Also on their to do list is the erection of an embankment or causeway, together with angling stands to be erected on the western areas of the lake.

Dredging of a silt trap and marginal areas of the lake together with the fencing of related wetlands, adjacent to this area, are also included.

This project will greatly improve the ecological state of the lake in Templemore’s town park, which is home to a large variety of wildlife.

This park is a wonderful naturally occurring amenity for the residents of Templemore town and also as a tourist attraction for its many annual visitors, not forgetting the local environment.

Photo courtesy G.Willoughby.

Fergus O’Dowd To Visit Silvermines

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources and former Mayor of Drogheda Mr Fergus O’Dowd will be visiting Silvermines here in Tipperary next Monday.

Mr O’Dowd is in Tipperary to discuss the ongoing, long drawn out, rehabilitation of the Silvermines area. He is expected to be accompanied by a geologist and other Department Officials.

The Minister of State will begin by touring Silvermines Tailings Pond, Gortmore and Garryard, and will have talks later with Mr Karl Cashen, Director of Services NTCC, North Tipperary County Manager Joe McGrath and Michael Leamy, local farmer and Chairperson of Silvermines Environmental Group.

Septic Tank Fee Reduced

In what is observed as a major u-turn this evening, Environment Minister, Mr Phil Hogan, speaking from Dundrum House Hotel in Co Tipperary, has announced a reduced inspection fee for rural septic tank inspection.

Mr Hogan said the anticipated fee for septic tank inspection, will now be reduced from €50 to just €5, for the first three months, while the charge is being introduced. He stated this lower rate was an incentive for septic tank owners to register early, with the deadline for registration being March of next year.

Mr Hogan said that full new guidelines, regarding septic tank standards, will be announced in the coming days. He also stated that this legislation will now ensure that if people’s septic tank systems are working properly, the impact of the new system will be minor.

Phil Hogan’s Presentation On Septic Tanks Clearly Bogus

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a farm sustaining 2,500 cows has the ability to produce the equivalent in waste matter as a city containing 400,000 residents. Animal feeding operations annually produce about 100 times more manure than the amount of human sewage sludge processed in US municipal waste-water plants.

Ireland’s rural human population is numbered at about 1.6 to 1.8 million and these human statistics surely are dwarfed by a rural population of necessary animals which can include Deer, Pigs, Sheep, Poultry and Cattle. Surely any seepage from malfunctioning domestic septic tanks is insignificant, particularly when compared to the amount of animal waste pumped directly onto land as slurry.

I won’t even enter into discussion on the use of pesticides, antibiotics and over use of nitrogen, the rules for which most EU Governments have failed to meet their obligations under existing law, in an effort to protect rural residents and communities.

Farmers in Tipperary and Offaly were allowed “as an exceptional measure,” to spread slurry until the end of October in 2011. This decision was gifted by Minister Hogan, who extending the deadline because “weather conditions were beyond farmers control and this extension will make life easier on farmers in Tipperary and Offaly.”

Perhaps elected representatives in opposition, might waken up and seek proper clarity on where all of this is headed.