Education « Thurles Information

Barriers To Investment In Climate Adaptation.

Barriers to investment in climate adaptation explored in new joint report by Climate Change Advisory Council and Central Bank of Ireland.

A new joint report by the Climate Change Advisory Council and the Central Bank of Ireland has warned that the deployment of climate adaptation finance is below what is required to address the escalating risks posed by climate change. Without action, the impact of extreme weather events will test Ireland’s economic and financial resilience.

While there is significant ambition to reduce emissions, focus must also be applied to addressing the impacts of climate change that are already emerging by enabling investment in climate adaptation projects at both national and local levels. Many adaptation projects, particularly at local levels, are seen as too small or too uncertain to secure funding, even though their benefits are clear and long-lasting.

Deep rooted barriers to investing in climate adaptation include a lack of locally relevant climate risk data, high upfront costs of adaptation projects, fragmented access to funding, and the absence of clear investment pathways that can attract private capital.

The report emphasises the importance of credible transition plans to build resilience in the financial sector and contribute towards a resilient economy. Actionable solutions include transition planning that incorporates adaptation, and the development of scalable, investable project models, and a register of successful adaptation projects to build momentum and share solutions.

Insurance is a key part of adaptation finance but protection gaps (where businesses, individuals and communities lack adequate or affordable insurance) pose a significant barrier to resilience. The report notes the need to address the insurance protection gap as set out in the Action Plan for insurance reform. This requires a long-term strategic approach to flood insurance with enhanced data sharing and a clear recognition of adaptation measures, as well as ensuring solutions are complemented by continued investment in measures such as flood defences to reduce risks and safeguard long-term sustainability.

Another challenge in assessing the scale of investment required is the absence comprehensive estimates of the short- and long-term costs of climate adaptation. The report proposes a National Adaptation Finance Strategy to attract private and EU funding which should build on improved estimates of long-term investment needs.

Commenting, Professor Mr Peter Thorne, Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council’s Adaptation Committee said, “The recommendations within this report come at a critical time with the ever increasing frequency and impact of extreme weather events which are wreaking havoc across communities and the economy. The development of resilient infrastructure, storm resistance in coastal defences, drought-resistant crops, nature-based solutions, early warning systems and community resilience building would be transformative for our society saving lives and protecting livelihoods. By addressing barriers, mobilising public and private finance, and implementing innovative solutions, Ireland can build a more resilient economy and society while reducing risks to the financial system.”

Mr Vasileios Madouros, Deputy Governor of Monetary and Financial Stability for the Central Bank of Ireland, said, “Climate change poses risks to the financial system and the long-term stability of our economy. We’re already seeing the impact extreme weather has on communities, businesses and infrastructure, and we recognise the importance of addressing climate-related risks, including the growing need for investment in adaptation measures. This joint report proposes actionable steps to build resilience in the economy by increasing the deployment of adaptation finance in Ireland. Safeguarding Ireland’s financial stability in the face of a changing climate requires collaboration across public and private sectors, enabling investment at both national and local levels, and further assessing the short and long-term costs of climate adaptation.”

Five Tipperary School Transport Operators Plead Not Guilty To Competition Charges.

Five operators of bus and taxi services In Tipperary appeared today in a Competition and Consumer Protection Commission led prosecution at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, where they pleaded not guilty to alleged anti-competitive conduct in the school transport sector.

Defendants Mr Andrew Walsh of Derrymore, Roscrea; Mr Raymond Heney of Camas, Cashel; Mr Noel Browne of Bansha; Mr Larry Hickey of Ardmayle, Cashel, and Mr Anthony Flynn of Golden Road, Cashel, all resident in Co Tipperary, face a single charge under the Competition Act 2002, alleging that each engaged in a concerted practice between November 1st 2014 and December 31st 2016, aimed at preventing, restricting or distorting competition in the provision of school-transport services in counties Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, South Galway and Waterford.

Presiding Judge Mr David Keane empanelled a jury of seven men and five women to hear the case, which is expected to last up to six weeks.

The prosecution arises under Section 4(1) of the Competition Act 2002, which prohibits any agreement, decision or concerted practice, whose object or effect is to prevent, restrict or distort competition in trade.

The defendants’ pleas of not guilty mean the matter will now proceed to full trial, where the court will examine evidence including tenders, contracts, communications between operators and the structure of the school transport market.

Private operators bid for contracts to provide specific routes as part of the scheme. When operators agree or coordinate how to bid (or not bid) for these contracts, the effect can be to reduce competition: fewer bidders means less pressure on prices and potentially lower quality of service.

The national competition regulator, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is empowered, under the Competition Act 2002, to prosecute concerted practices or agreements between competitors which have the object or effect of restricting competition.

The school-transport scheme involves significant public expenditure. For example, in a recent review the cost was estimated at about €509 million for the 2024 year. If competition is distorted in the contracting of these services, the State and ultimately families and taxpayers may face higher costs or receive less efficient service. Coordinated bidding or allocation of routes undermines the competitive tendering process.

By pursuing criminal cases in this domain, the Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is signalling that collusion in public-service contracts (including school transport) is taken seriously.

Historical Chalices Of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

**“Walter of the Rosaries Chalice”.** *(Walter na bPaidríní)*.
*Pic: G. Willoughby* ©

If you ask Thurles [Map Ref.] people what is the oldest manufactured object in daily use in this area, they might not immediately think of the chalices located in their local Church. This may well be so, and the story behind each chalice may be interesting in itself, to lovers of local and Irish history.

Our special thanks to historian and researcher Very Rev. Monsignor Dr Maurice Dooley, AP, Parish of Loughmore, Templemore, Co. Tipperary, and former lecturer on Canon Law at St Patrick’s College, Cathedral, Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Large Oyster Mushroom Enjoying Tipperary Soft Weather.

Oyster Mushroom (Hypsizygus ulmarius)

Spotted this week in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, an oyster mushroom making the most of the mild autumn weather; a perfect reminder of how resilient and fascinating these woodland dwellers are.

Oyster mushrooms are among the most popular edible fungi in Ireland, known for their delicate flavour and firm texture. They are versatile in cooking and can be added to soups, pasta, and stir-fries, or sautéed as a side dish.

They typically grow high up on the trunks and branches of broadleaf hardwood trees in mixed woodlands.

**Large Oyster Mushroom** *(Hypsizygus ulmarius)*, **Thurles, Co. Tipperary**

Their fruiting bodies are semicircular or shell-shaped, often with smooth, pale caps that catch the light in forests. Though similar in look to other oyster-like species, this particular variety, Hypsizygus ulmarius, belongs to a different genus entirely. Its Latin name offers a small map of its habits: hypsi meaning “high up”, zygus referring to a “yoke”, and ulmarius translating to “of the elms”, its favourite tree host.

You’ll usually find these mushrooms sprouting individually from branch scars and wounds on living elms and box elders, though they occasionally make their home on beech, maple, willow, oak, or even, as in this case, an apple tree.

While they prefer living trees, slowly causing white rot in the wood, they can also thrive on fallen trunks and decaying branches. That duality, living as both parasite and saprotroph (Latter an organism that feeds on or derives nourishment from decaying organic matter), makes them remarkable survivors, feeding either on the living or the dead.

So next time you’re walking through a Tipperary woodland, look up, not down. The quiet life clinging to the bark above might just be an oyster mushroom enjoying the same soft weather as the rest of us.

Piseógs Talk in Cashel Library, Co. Tipperary.

Piseógs were the most common form of curse used in old Ireland, a Piseóg being a superstitious belief or practice, charm or spell.

Piseógs are traditional Irish curses often associated with rural communities and folklore. Same can be used to cause misfortune to others, steal their luck, or influence events, and are often cast with the intention of causing harm.
The very fear of the piseóg itself was often considered a significant part of the curse, sometimes more damaging than the actual act itself.

Join Maura for Folk Magic of Piseógs in Cashel Library, on Thursday 30th October at 2.30pm.
Note: Adult Event.

This is just one of the many free events at Cashel Library each year.
Do Remember booking is essential to Tel: 062-63825.