|
|
An American judge Suzanne Bolanos has denied Monsanto’s request for a new trial and has further upheld a jury verdict against the Bayer subsidiary Monsanto in a case regarding the cancer danger of some of its weed killer products. A jury in the case found the company’s glyphosate-based[1] weed-killers, including RoundUp, (widely used here in Ireland), responsible for a man’s terminal cancer.
Earlier this year the first study of exposure in adults to glyphosate, the most commonly used pesticide in Ireland, had found that the general population is being subjected to low exposure from this chemical, but “within acceptable EU safety limits”. Roundup has continued to be licensed for use in Ireland in spite of the earlier US courts decision to award a school groundsman who claimed it contributed to his terminal cancer.
[1]Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide used to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with crops.
 In 2015, the cancer unit of the World Health Organisation classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” However, later in 2017, the US Environmental Protection Agency concluded that a decades-long assessment of the risks associated with the use of glyphosate, was not carcinogenic in humans.
This evaluation will now influences decisions in the case of some 8,000 other such upcoming lawsuits in the USA.
Monsanto, in denying the allegations, had previously asked Judge Bolanos to throw out the entire previous verdict or to order a new trial. The Judge, in her ruling, did cut the previous $289 million (€253m), punitive damages award by $200 million; back to $78 million to comply with the law regarding how such damage awards must be calculated.
Bayer, a German company, which had purchased Monsanto recently for $63 billion, is adamant that decades of scientific studies have concluded that glyphosate is safe for human use, and in a statement said. “The courts decision to reduce the punitive damage award by more than $200 million is a step in the right direction, but we continue to believe that the liability verdict and damage awards are not supported by the evidence at trial or the law and plan to file an appeal with the California Court of Appeal”.
Our failure to treat waste water properly is seriously damaging our rivers and coastal waters
 Waste water treatment at 28 of Ireland’s 179 large towns and cities has failed to meet standards set to prevent pollution and protect public health.
Waste water from 57 areas caused significant impacts on our rivers, lakes and coastal waters. Discharges of raw sewage from six urban areas have ceased. However, raw sewage from the equivalent of 88,000 people in 38 towns and villages is still flowing into the environment today.
Though we have seen some improvements, Ireland is not investing quickly enough to provide the infrastructure needed to treat our waste water, highlights the EPA report on Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2017; released today. Deficiencies exist in many treatment plants and public sewers, due to a legacy of underinvestment, and waste water is still entering the environment without receiving sufficient treatment.
Commenting on the report Dr Tom Ryan, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement stated, “Ireland is not addressing the deficiencies in its waste water treatment infrastructure at a fast-enough pace. It is unacceptable that, 13 years after the final deadline to comply with treatment standards, there are still 28 large towns and cities discharging inadequately treated sewage that fails to meet these standards. This is putting our health at risk and is having an impact on our rivers, lakes and coastal waters.”
Environmental priorities
It is not possible to fix all the issues with Ireland’s waste water treatment systems in the short term and a long-term strategy is now required to address shortcomings. It is therefore essential that the resources that are available are targeted efficiently in the right areas, to deliver improvements where they are most needed. The EPA identifies the following as the priority areas for improvements.
- 28 large towns and cities where waste water treatment failed to meet mandatory standards. These account for over half of the sewage collected in our public sewers. The final deadline to comply with the standards was 2005 and Ireland is before the EU Court of Justice for breaching these requirements.
- 38 towns and villages discharging raw sewage. The EPA has prosecuted Irish Water for delays in providing treatment plants at six of these areas.
- 57 areas where waste water discharges are the sole environmental threat to rivers, lakes and coastal waters at risk of pollution.
- Areas where upgrade works are needed to protect 4 beaches with poor quality bathing water. These affected beaches are Merrion Strand, Clifden, Loughshinny and Sandymount Strand.
- 15 areas where improvements are needed to protect critically endangered freshwater pearl mussels or to safeguard shellfish habitats.
- 13 priority waste water collection networks (sewers) that need to be upgraded.
Mr Darragh Page, Programme Manager of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement stated, “Investment in waste water infrastructure has brought environmental benefits in 2017, and we welcome the elimination of discharges of raw sewage from the equivalent of over 50,000 people. However, a substantial increase in the rate of investment is necessary to provide the infrastructure needed to treat our waste water. Irish Water also needs to improve its understanding of the condition and performance of sewers, to help focus sewer upgrade works where they are most urgently needed.”
Independent Deputy Michael Lowry welcomes funding totalling €913,266 for projects in Tipperary through the Town & Village Renewal Scheme 2018.
 Deputy Michael Lowry is delighted to announce that funding totalling €913,266 has been allocated to 8 projects in Tipperary through the Town & Village Renewal Scheme 2018. This year the Town & Village Renewal Scheme focuses on projects, which can help to enhance rural towns and villages, with a particular emphasis on stimulating economic development.
Deputy Lowry stated: “Our towns and villages are the heart of our rural communities. This years Town and Village Renewal Scheme is designed to help breath life back into our rural towns and villages, I’m delighted that this funding was allocated to eight projects in Tipperary”.
Funding Allocations:
Tipperary Co Council Aglish Install footpath, street lighting, linking village, the park and village hall – €78,400.
Tipperary Co Council Carrick on Suir Upgrade existing Heritage Centre – €174,362.
Tipperary Co Council Cashel Public realm improvements – €200,000.
Tipperary Co Council Cloughjordan Extension of local woodland walking trail – €21,600.
Tipperary Co Council Nenagh Public realm improvements – €100,000.
Tipperary Co Council Puckane Village enhancements – €116,904.
Tipperary Co Council Terryglass Public Realm Improvements – €152,000.
Tipperary Co Council Thurles Production of 10 year integrated renewal strategy for town centre – €70,000.
Total Funding = €913,266
Relentless implementation of policy needed to combat effects of climate extremes.
“We have, by any measure, experienced an extraordinary year where nature reminded us who is in charge. With our changing climate, the confident predictions are that we can expect extreme events at greater frequency into the future”, said Laura Burke, Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), speaking at the annual ‘Environment Ireland’ conference.
Ms Laura Burke was reflecting on how weather events in the last twelve months – from storms and an ex-hurricane to a prolonged drought and heat wave – severely tested the resilience of Ireland’s infrastructure, economy, health-care services as well as people’s well-being.
“This last year has been a turning point in the minds of the public and sectors about what we need to do to build and assure resilience. Mitigation is essential, adaptation is necessary, anything less is unsustainable, indeed, irresponsible.”
Ms Burke welcomed the advancement of the National Mitigation Plan and National Adaptation Framework while highlighted that it is now a priority to ensure committed, coherent and relentless implementation of plans and policy measures to meet national and international commitments, thus ensuring the well-being of society; the stability of the economy, and the safeguarding of the environment.
“The systemic nature of the climate challenge emphasises the need to deliver enduring, integrated, all-of-government structures with clear responsibility and accountability. We need to move from a focus on achieving compliance with international commitments to driving the transformational change that is urgently needed across our entire economy and society; so as to deliver on Ireland’s ambition to be a leader in tackling climate change and in doing so protect our health and well being”, stated Ms Burke.
Laura Burke reminded delegates that, for Ireland to grow sustainably, it is essential to safeguard and rigorously implement all areas of environmental policy and to remind every individual of the role they play.
She continued; “The strong growth in our economy and in our population brings with it pressures on how we deal with land, water supply, sewage treatment, raw materials supply and waste management. We must not repeat the mistakes of our past. Implementation challenges remain at national, regional and at societal level,however people can make changes by adhering to regulations and dealing with matters such as litter, waste prevention, water use, use of smoky coal, septic tank management and conspicuous consumerism, all of which impact on our health, the quality of our environment and sustainability of resources use.”
“Our environment, quite literally, sustains us and we all have a role to play in its protection”, Ms Burke concluded.
The Michaelmas Daisy Fairy Song.
By Cicely Mary Barker
“Red Admiral, Red Admiral,
Alighting on my daisies one by one!
I hope you like their flavour and although the Autumn’s near,
Are happy as you sit there in the sun?”
“I thank you very kindly, sir!
Your daisies are so nice,
So pretty and so plentiful are they;
The flavour of their honey, sir, it really does entice;
I’d like to bring my brothers, if I may!”
“Friend butterfly, friend butterfly, go fetch them one and all!
I’m waiting here to welcome every guest;
And tell them it is Michaelmas, and soon the leaves will fall,
But I think Autumn sunshine is the best!”
End
 Michaelmas daisies (Variety Aster macrophyllus ‘Twilight’) together with the bright yellow daisy-like flowers of Rudbeckia (Variety “Goldstrum”); a must for any garden especially those seeking long lasting colour; as our warm Summer slowly now reverts to Autumn. Michaelmas Daisies (Aster macrophyllus ‘Twilight’), together with the bright yellow daisy-like flowers of Rudbeckia (“Goldstrum”) are both hardy perennial garden flowers, (Available at O’Driscoll Garden Centre, Mill Road, Thurles), which emerge from small ever enlarging colonies of underground rhizomes to form clumps some 60cm (around 2ft), in height each Spring, later displaying glorious rich colour, from mid to late Summer right through to the end of Autumn.
While the yellow daisy-like flowers of Rudbeckia are said to symbolizes a farewell or a departure; it is the name associated with the blueish grey daisy that we feature in this article.
Michaelmas is the name of the first term of the academic year. It is also a term name used by the Honorable Society of King’s Inns in Ireland. The Michaelmas term begins in September and ends towards the end of December. The name Michaelmas comes from a shortening of “Michael’s Mass,”, similar to and in the same style as Christmas, “Christ’s Mass” and Candlemas, “Candle Mass”, latter the Mass where traditionally all candles used throughout the year would be blessed.
In the fifth century a basilica near Rome was dedicated in honour of Michael on the 30th September, beginning with celebrations on the eve of that day, and 29th September is now kept in honour of St. Michael and all Angels, throughout some western churches.
Associated in the northern hemisphere with the beginning of Autumn and the shortening of days; during the Middle Ages, Michaelmas was celebrated as a Holy Day of Obligation, but this tradition was abolished in the 18th century. It was also one of the Irish quarter days, when outstanding accounts had to be settled.
Folklore suggests that Michaelmas day is the last day that blackberries can be picked. It is said that when St Michael expelled Lucifer (the devil), from heaven, the latter fell from the sky, landing in prickly blackberry bushes. Satan is said to have cursed the fruit, before scorching them with his fiery breath, then stamping, spitting and urinating on them, so that they would become unfit for human consumption. It was therefore considered ill-advised to pick blackberries after the 29th of September, with a Michaelmas pie being made from the last blackberry fruit of the season.
First observed as a healing angel, and then over time as a protector and the leader of the army of God against the forces of evil; from 1961 to 1965, four young schoolgirls reported several apparitions of the Archangel Michael in their small village of Garabandal, in Spain. The apparitions of the Archangel Michael were mainly reported as announcing the expected arrival of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.
These events at Garabandal began on June 18th, 1961, when the four girls aged eleven and twelve years old, [Mari Loli Mazón, Jacinta González, Mari Cruz González and Maria “Conchita” Concepción González], said that they saw an angel. This angel made another appearance on June 25th. Their story quickly spread throughout the village and they subsequently reported seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary. These claims continued for a number of years.
According to the visionaries, the purpose of these visitations was to call for a “conversion of heart”, with these visionaries reporting that they received two ‘messages’; one directly from the Blessed Virgin Mary and the other from the Virgin Mary, by way of St. Michael the Archangel. The first message was revealed on October 18th, 1961, which stated:- “We must make many sacrifices, perform much penance, and visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently. But first, we must lead good lives. If we do not, a chastisement will befall us. The cup is already filling up, and if we do not change, a very great chastisement will come upon us.”
It was on June 18th, 1965, when Conchita, the principal visionary heard the second message, which was televised live by Spanish television. It stated:- “As my Message of the 18th of October has not been complied with, and as it has not been made known to the world, I am telling you that this is the last one. Previously, the Cup was filling; now, it is brimming over. Many priests are following the road to perdition, (latter a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unrepentant person passes after death), and with them they are taking many more souls. Ever less importance is being given to the Holy Eucharist. We should turn the wrath of God away from us by our own efforts. If you ask His forgiveness with a sincere heart. He will pardon you. I, your Mother, through the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel, wish to tell you that you should make amends. You are now being given the last warnings. I love you very much, and I do not want your condemnation. Ask Us sincerely and We shall grant your plea. You must make more sacrifices. Reflect on the Passion of Jesus.
The second message caused particular controversy when it was revealed that Conchita had actually written “many cardinals, many bishops and many priests are following the road to perdition.” She was asked many times to verify this information. The young woman stated many times that Mary stressed the importance of the priesthood, and focused attention on priests above others.
|
Support Us Help keep Thurles.info online by donating below. Thank you.
Total Donated 2026: €300.00
Thank You!
Daily Thurles Mass Livestream
|
Recent Comments