Irish Phrase Of The Day "Cad atá ar súil agat ?" - What are you doing?
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Fine Gael TD Noel Coonan today contacted Minister for Communications Pat Carey TD, asking him to further clarify the situation regarding Lisheen Mines.
 Lisheen Mine, Moyne, Co Tipperary Newspaper reports suggest that owners, Anglo American are putting huge pressure on Minister Pat Carey to finally approve the mining company’s planned sale of Lisheen Mines, before the dissolution of the Dail tomorrow.
Anglo has indicated that it plans to sell the zinc mine to Indian company Vedanta for €308m. However, Deputy Coonan said there have been widespread concerns about Vedanta’s poor environmental and human rights record.
The Tipperary North / South Offaly TD said: “I contacted Minister Carey and the Secretary General of the Department of Communications and Natural Resources to convey my concern about the sale of Lisheen Mines. Serious questions have been raised at the highest political level about Vedanta’s record in other countries. My fear is that the musical chairs in Cabinet at the moment could put at risk not only the future of the mines, which employs around 370 people, but also the future of the local environment.”
Deputy Coonan further stated: “The Department has informed me this afternoon that any sale will be ‘conditional on the new owners continuing to ensure strict compliance with the terms of the State Mining Lease and all other statutory permits and enactments, including the planning permission and Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Licence (IPPCL), not only during the remaining life of the mine but also in its closure, restoration and aftercare.’
The future of Lisheen Mines is something which I have campaigned on throughout my political career. It is vital that this is not put in jeopardy, by the current political paralysis in Government. Lisheen mines must to be safeguarded.“
There have been calls for further investigation in to the Company which is set to take over Lisheen Mines, near Moyne, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
Ministerial approval is currently being sought by Anglo American and Hindustan Zinc Ltd, a division of the Indian mining conglomerate Vedanta Resources plc.for the transfer of the mining leases.
However, locals as well as some of the workers at the Lisheen mines have expressed grave concern about the companies previous operational behaviour, which, last Feburary 2010, was criticised by Amnesty International, for its safety and environmental record in India, as well as its treatment of indigenous people.
Indian owners of the Vedanta Resources Division, earlier last year, purchased the Tipperary zinc mine along with other bigger mines in South Africa and Namibia from previous owners Anglo American Zinc as part of a €1.34bn deal, latter which estimated Lisheen’s value at €242m. Vedanta won out in a bidding war with the Anglo-Swiss mining group Xstrata and China Metallurgical. However, London analysts are speculating that the FTSE listed Vedanta could seek to sell on Lisheen quickly, with one possible buyer being discussed, rival Xstrata which Verdanta outbid, which has a joint lead and zinc venture with Minco at Pallasgreen, on the border between counties Limerick and Tipperary.
A number of Lisheen’s 370 workers have aired genuine concerns regarding the eco-sensitive nature of the Lisheen Mines site.
Concerned workers state: “We would like it confirmed that our new owners have plans to protect the local environment, the life of this mine is finite and the plan is to continue mining here at Lisheen only until 2013, before we begin closure. Lisheen is presently one of Ireland’s most eco-sensitive mining sites”
The environmental fears of Lisheen workers have been aggravated by the Vedanta chairman, Anil Agarwal, who told reporters at a press conference in London recently that the company is looking at “debottlenecking” or removing obstacles that are presently preventing the mining process from being more efficient or workable, at the Anglo American Lisheen Zinc mine.
Amnesty International have claimed people living near the Lanjigarh refinery in Orissa breathed polluted air and were afraid to drink from or bathe in local rivers. Last year it called on Vedanta Resources not to expand the refinery or mine for bauxite nearby, before resolving the problems.
Kate Allen the UK Director of Amnesty International stated “People have a right to water and to a healthy environment but Vedanta has failed to respect these rights in Orissa”
The Church of England last February sold its shares in the blue-chip Indian mining company Vedanta, in protest over a controversial Indian bauxite mining project that activists say was destroying the livelihoods and spirituality of a mountain tribe. The officially established Christian Church in England said that it had sold £3.8m ($5.9m) of shares in Vedanta after a six-month dialogue with its management and a visit in the previous November by the church’s ethical investment advisers, to project sites in the east Indian state of Orissa.
There have been claims of homes being illegally seized in the Niyamgiri hills, without consent, while hired goons, police and other administration beat up those locals who protested.
A firm managing pensions for more than two million people in the Netherlands has sold its €13million (US$ 16million) stake in the mining conglomerate. The investment firm of PGGM made ‘intensive efforts‘ to engage with the British company Vedanta, over its plan to mine the sacred mountain of India’s Dongria Kondh tribe for aluminium ore. But according to PGGM, Vedanta refused to participate in a roundtable discussion on the issue.
Note: Vedanta has consistently rejected all allegations against it and the Vedanta offices in London and Bombay have yet to comment regarding the Lisheen workers concerns.
 Mary Harney - The unnecessary victim of paint and eggs Health Minister Mary Harney has offered her resignation on Tuesday last, to the Taoiseach Brian Cowen. The former Progressive Democrats leader also confirmed she will not be contesting the next general election.
Minister Harney stated “I have reached my decision after considerable reflection and having taken into account the advice and constant support offered over many years by my family, friends and colleagues and accordingly I have offered my resignation as Minister for Health and Children.”
Currently a TD for Dublin Mid West, Ms Harney had served as minister of state for the Department of the Environment from 1989 to 1992 and Minister for Enterprise from 1997 to 2004, before becoming Minister for Health since 2004, to current date.
Ms Harney visited Tipperary and Thurles officially on many occasions. As Minister of State for the Department of the Environment, she was a guest of Thurles Tidy Towns Committee and officially switched on the then new fountain in the river Suir, sponsored to Thurles by Cantwell Electric Engineers, and currently still enjoyed at Cathedral Street in the town. One achievement often cited from her role in Environmental Protection was the banning of bituminous coal in Dublin in 1990.
It was at a Progressive Democrats meeting the Anner Hotel, Thurles, Co Tipperary that news of her engagement to Brian Geoghegan of An Foras Áiseanna Saothair (FÁS), was made public, first revealed by local Thurles photographer George Willoughby.
Ms Harney, a native of Ballinasloe, Co Galway, was first elected to the Dáil in 1981. She became the youngest ever member of the Seanad Éireann, when nominated by the Late then Taoiseach Jack Mary Lynch in 1977. She became a founder member of the Progressive Democrats together with Limerick born Desmond Joseph O’Malley in 1985 and became leader of the party in 1993. As leader of the PDs, she was Tánaiste from June 1997 to September 2006. She then stepped down as PD leader at that time and was replaced by Mr Michael McDowell, however following his defeat in the 2007 general election, Ms Harney stepped back in as acting party leader.
It was possibly on her last visit to Tipperary in November 2010, that a group of about 30 people protesting, threw eggs and cheese at Mary Harney’s car as she arrived at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Nenagh, Co Tipperary. The minister was then officially at the Tipperary hospital to open a new Endoscopy Unit and speaking afterwards, the Minister said she was not upset, that she has had other things thrown at her that were probably worse, adding, ‘I think it’s a great pity that in a democracy people don’t use the opportunity to put their perspective forward in a different way. Politics is about choices, it’s about argument and debate. It’s not about engaging in public disorder offences or engaging in activity of that kind. I understand that many of those involved are politically motivated by a different persuasion than the mainstream parties in this country and maybe that’s part of the motivation.‘
The week previous to this, the Minister had been targeted with red paint, as she turned the sod at a mental health centre in Dublin.
It is expected that changes to the cabinet, including the vacancy created by rebel Foreign Affairs Minister, Micheál Martin, will be announced by the Taoiseach Brian Cowen in the next few days.
 What benefits birds, also benefits humans, as those of our readers here in Thurles and Co Tipperary, who supplemented their garden’s birds’ diet, during the recent unprecedented harsh weather, can attest. By feeding the birds in your area, there is an automatically important knock-on effect for the flower lover and organic gardener, as birds will quickly get used to searching for food in your garden and will simultaneously search for pests such as greenfly, caterpillars and snails, all the year round.
By the way this video was captured on the new Flip Video Camera. Latter fits into the palm of your hand, easily fits in your jeans pocket while letting you record high quality HD footage with the greatest of ease. The rectangular shaped camera is the size of a standard mobile phone and can captures 2 hours of HD video at a time, so is ideal for the local football match, the confirmation or the children’s birthday party. On the Flip Video camera front is a zoom lens and microphone, while the back contains a 1.5 inch viewing screen, plus four directional arrows, a delete and a play button. A USB plug flips out from its side allowing you to connect it directly to a computer or laptop USB port, without the hassle of attaching messy cables, thus allowing you to play your captured content immediately without rendering. As you can see from this video, this tiny camera delivers a remarkably high quality picture on a device that any unskilled individual can use. I find it especially good in situations like observing nature, as with the aid of a tripod, it allows me to get up close and personal without being intrusive. (This extraordinary HD Video Camera is also very affordable, at around €170 .)
After the glut of each years Summer and Autumn fruits have passed and when insects are diminishing, winter is most certainly the correct time to feed our local bird population, but when should we stop?
With regard to this question, there are possibly two schools of thought. Some says you should stop gradually, once winter is over and more natural foods become available. Other state that stopping suddenly increases stress to birds, when they are already under pressure both defending territories and building their nests. There is possibly some truth in both schools of thinking, but it is true that allowing blue tits to feed their very their young babies on peanuts is likely to cause their deaths, as very young Blue Tits can’t digest the nuts fed by their parents. You could however, switch to other foods during the period, perhaps hanging up a meat bone, left over from your main meal, which offers to the birds a high protein food. There will be plenty of natural food available in your garden in Summer, with greenfly, caterpillars and snails, of all sizes, in much abundance.
The different species of our birds life have different feeding habits. Hanging food is ideal for sparrows and members of the Tit family, using a peanut or seed dispenser as shown in this video attached.
Continue reading What Benefits Birds Can Benefit Humans
 Bin your litter Carlow was today announced as the cleanest town in Ireland at a ceremony in Dublin today, in the 2010 survey of litter levels in 53 towns and cities, by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL).
The winning town was presented with a special plaque by Dr Tom Cavanagh, Chairman of IBAL, who criticised the Government, local and Urban District County Councils for failing to fully tackle the issue of litter, which shows slow signs of reducing.
To mark its success, Carlow will receive a number of trees for planting locally.
IBAL’s Anti-Litter League which commenced in 2002, was developed to attempt to mobilise local authorities into action on the subject of litter. Recent results show 36 out of 55 towns are ‘Clean to European Norms’ compared to only 2 when the survey began in 2002.
The success to-date of IBAL’s Anti-Litter League programme lies in its transparency. It involves An Taisce,who regularly monitor litter levels in towns and cities across Ireland according to international standards. The areas are then ranked in a league table format.
Initially comprising 27 areas, the League has grown to include over 50 towns and city areas and is now co-funded by the Department of the Environment. All towns of over 6,000 inhabitants are now covered by the Anti Litter League.
The ultimate objective of the League is to ensure all towns in Ireland are ‘litter-free’, which equates to 80 points or more out of 100.
Portlaoise was branded Ireland’s dirtiest town, closely followed by Nenagh in Co Tipperary, latter the political capital of North Tipperary. Dr Tom Cavanagh said Town Managers and Councilors should be out and about seeing what is going on throughout towns as regards littering.
IBAL now wants people to become litter “whistle-blowers” by photographing black-spots in their areas and sending the pictures to the organisation, which, in turn, will pass them on to the relevant local authority. They are inviting people to submit photos as part of a “litter twitter” campaign to alert local authorities to litter-ridden areas.
The report blames a lack of co-ordination between local councils and the National Roads Authority for litter problems. Dr Tom Cavanagh said that city authorities faced challenges such as the prevalence of dumping, discarded fast-food and litter connected with late-night activity. Chewing gum on pavements is tarnishing the overall environment Dr Cavanagh said and a clean Ireland was critical to enhancing our international reputation.
Photos can be emailed to litterspotter.2010@twitpic.com.
If you like looking at litter, you might be interested in IBAL’s Twitter account at twitter.com/litterspotter – pics on view include that of a littered bus stop in Clondalkin and the back of an abandoned bed lying in a river.
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