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 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.
 Cantwell Mobile Water Treatment Plant The highly reputable and successful sister companies, combining Cantwell Quality Water Services Ltd and Cantwell Electrical Engineering Ltd, yesterday privately unveiled their newest piece of engineering equipment, a Mobile Water Treatment Plant, which is the first such plant ever to come on stream here in Ireland.
This new fully Mobile Water Treatment Unit is capable of treating up to 45,000 litres of water per hour and comes complete with it’s own power supply and electrical generator, thus allowing the unit to start operations on arrival at it’s required destination or environmental emergency.
On arrival, this state of the art treatment unit is ready immediately to begin carrying out the following treatments:- Iron and Manganese removal, UV treatment, Carbon filtration, Ultra Filtration, pH correction and controlled Chlorine treatment.
The company, Cantwell Electrical Engineering Ltd has been successfully trading since 1978, while it’s sister company, Cantwell Quality Water Services Ltd, began trading in early 2010. Both Companies trade from their own business and engineering unit at Graigue, Urlingford, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, offering a non stop 24 hour service.
Cantwell Quality Water Services Ltd, currently supply an estimated 100,000 litres of quality drinking water per hour, to the towns of Foyne’s, Kilcornan, Askeaton, Shanagolden, Killdimo and Creevey’s Cross. This follows the recent pollution, caused by oil, which leaked into the River Deel in Co Limerick, last week and also includes the pumping of water directly from their tankers to serve a number of nursing homes & schools etc. A total of 7 tankers are involved in this operation with a further 5 tankers on reserve if required.
Cantwell Quality Water Services Ltd also supply water to ocean going ships, such as the heavy cargo ships servicing the Aughinish Alumina Ltd, plant, which take 50,000 litres, pumped directly to on board water supply tanks.
Both companies Managing Directors, Simon Cantwell and Ger Cantwell, stated; “This type of new advance technology will now support and ensure that Ireland, as an island nation, will continue to retain it’s already acknowledged green, clean environmental reputation, well into the years ahead.“
 This year Nenagh is the tidiest town in Tipperary, that is according to the latest round of the Irish Business Against Litter’s Anti Litter League (IBAL).
The town has risen in the ranks from 49th place (Littered) in 2010, to now 18th place in the league, and deemed “Clean to European Norms” by IBAL. Nenagh now ranks above Clonmel, latter in 28th place and Tipperary Town, holding 51st position (Littered) .
Thurles, previously deemed “Clean to European Norms,” in 2010 by IBAL, did not feature in this round of the league.
The Nenagh litter report, which was carried out by An Taisce, for IBAL, pointed out that Nenagh languished in 49th position last year and that their new ranking goes to demonstrate what can be achieved with a community approach to tackling litter problems.
Martin Langton of Nenagh Tidy Towns Committee, stated that he now looked forward to new Local Authority driven initiatives to tackle existing problems in 2012, and further commented, that this result is a huge tribute to those involved in the towns anti-litter drive. It was also his fervent hope that this result would encourage people to continue in their efforts.
A new 550kW Biomass Boiler is currently under construction east of the Thurles Swimming Pool & Leisure Centre here in Thurles.
 Biomass Installation The project is estimated to cut the cost of the heating necessary for this local state of the art facility by one third, to under €100,000 per year.
Currently this venue costs €150,000 each year to heat, using bulk liquid propane gas, however now this new installation will be fueled using biomass, latter fuel which can be sourced locally.
This new venture should have the impact of retaining large money savings for within the local economy, thus resulting in more money for the support of other commercial purposes within Thurles.
Added to this, Thurles Town Council’s commitment to a reduction of the towns carbon foot print, has meant that the Swimming Pool management have embarked on improving further energy efficiency measures, e.g. installing additional wall insulation and lighting controls at this popular leisure facility.
By undertaking this project, Thurles Town Council now set a prime example to others in the Public Sector, on how they can lead the way, in strengthening other local economies.
 Deputy Noel Coonan TD Noel Coonan TD has welcomed today’s announcement that €105,415 has been allocated to North Tipperary County Council to assist the authority in meeting the costs associated with the operation of their Bring Banks and Civic Amenity Facilities.
Speaking to Thurles.Info this morning, Deputy Coonan said; “It is important to promote recycling now and into the future, especially as most landfills have closed or are about to close. This money will encourage our local authorities to continue to provide necessary waste management infrastructure. We can see that civic amenity facilities are hugely successful, and this funding is an incentive to increase opening hours and facilities throughout the constituency.”
Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, today announced the provision of €5 million in funding to assist local authorities in meeting the costs associated with the operation of their Bring Banks and Civic Amenity Facilities for the period January to June 2011.
The funding is provided from the Environment Fund, through which the proceeds of the plastic bag and landfill levies are utilised to provide assistance and support, in respect of a range of waste management, litter and other environmental initiatives.
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