Environment - Thurles Information

EPA Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections Highlight Need For Urgent Implementation Of Climate Plans.

EPA Projections data indicate that:

Total greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have increased by 6% in 2021.
Planned policies and measures, if fully implemented, could deliver up to 28% (4% per annum) emissions reduction up to 2030.
Ireland can comply with its 2030 EU emissions reduction target only if all planned measures are implemented and delivered as planned.
The data projects that all sectors need to do significantly more to meet their 2030 National emissions reduction targets.
The challenge is particularly evident in the agriculture sector. Methane emissions will need to reduce by up to 30% to meet the lower range of its 2021 Climate Action Plan target.
Urgent implementation of all climate plans and policies, plus further new measures, are needed for Ireland to meet the 51% emissions reduction target and put Ireland on track for climate neutrality by 2050.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its Greenhouse Gas emissions projections for the period 2021–2040.

The data shows that planned Climate policies and measures, if fully implemented, could deliver up to 28% (4 per cent per annum) emissions reduction up to 2030. As such Ireland could comply with its 2030 EU emissions reduction target only if all committed measures are implemented and delivered as planned and with full use of the permitted flexibilities.
Urgent implementation of all climate plans and polices, plus further new measures, are needed for Ireland to meet the 51% emissions reduction target and put Ireland on track for climate neutrality by 2050.

Speaking today at the EPA’s Climate Change Conference in Croke Park, Ms Laura Burke, (Director General, EPA) said: “These projections show the scale of policy development and implementation needed to match the ambition of our Climate Act 2021 and Carbon Budget targets. There is a significant gap between the ambition in the Climate Act and the realisation of the necessary actions to deliver on that ambition”.
Ms Burke added:
“The data shows that a step up in both the implementation of actions already set out in plans and policies and the identification of new measures is needed. All sectors have work to do, in particular the Agriculture sector. As the largest contributor of National emissions, more clarity is needed on how and when it will implement actions to reduce methane within the ever-shortening timeframe to 2030”.

The projections indicate that we have returned to pre-pandemic levels of activity, particularly in the transport sector, with associated levels of emissions. This return is likely to be exacerbated by a return to higher levels of coal used in electricity generation to meet growing national energy demand and current geopolitical impacts on energy.
Total greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have increased by 6% in 2021. It is projected that the impact of reduction measures will result in emissions decreasing from 2023 onwards. The impact of measures on a sectoral basis include:

Agriculture
Under the with existing measures scenario emissions are projected to increase by 1.9% over the 2020-2030 period. A methane emissions reduction of almost 30% is required to achieve a 22% reduction in Agriculture emissions compared to 2018, as committed to in the 2021 Climate Action Plan. The sector must clearly set out how this will be achieved to address uncertainty regarding its ability to deliver even the lower end of the range of its sectoral targets within the ever-shortening time-frame to 2030.

Transport
The end of COVID travel restrictions is projected to result in transport emissions increasing by 18-19 per cent from 2020 to 2022. Emissions from the sector are projected to reduce to 39 per cent below 2018 levels by 2030 if the additional measures set out in plans and policies are implemented. These include over 940,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030, increased biofuel blend rates and measures to support more sustainable transport.

Energy
Increased coal use from 2021, as a result of unavailability of sufficient gas-fired generation to meet growing energy demand, followed by changes in relative fuel price threatens to undo some of the good work done over recent years and negatively impact achievement of National targets, particularly for the first carbon budget period. Despite this, increased renewable energy generation, if delivered as planned, can reduce Energy Industry emissions by 10% per annum from 2021-30, achieving up to 78% renewable electricity generation by 2030.

Home Heating
Spending more time at home due to home/office hybrid working and the increasing cost of fossil fuels has highlighted a need for improvements in home heating efficiency and better insulation. Current implemented policies and measures can only deliver a 24% reduction in emissions from this sector by 2030. This highlights the need for implementation of the additional policies and measures such as those in the Climate Action Plan, which include the installation of 680,000 heat-pumps by 2030 as well as retrofitting 500,000 homes. These are projected to achieve a 41.5% reduction in residential emissions in 2030 compared to 2018.

Commenting, Mr Stephen Treacy, (Senior Manager, EPA) said: “The message from the authors of the recent IPCC report on climate mitigation was clear – it’s now or never, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible. In Ireland, implementation of measures has consistently lagged far behind planning. It is important that all planned actions are implemented as soon as possible while, in parallel, identifying actions to address the remaining gap to meet carbon budget limits”.
See full detail on the Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections 2021 to 2040 HERE and EPA Greenhouse Gas web resource on the EPA website HERE.

New EPA Radon Maps Show More Homes & Workplaces At Risk From Cancer-Causing Gas

The EPA has published new radon maps for Ireland that update the radon risk assessment for the country.
170,000 homes in the country are now predicted to be at risk from radon. This is an increase of 45,000 homes from the previous estimate in 2002.
Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas, and every year in Ireland 350 new lung cancer cases are linked to exposure to radon.
You can check if your home is at risk/the level of risk of your home through the new Eircode map search on the EPA website.
The EPA urges all householders and businesses, especially those in high radon areas, to test for radon.
Testing for radon is simple and fixing a radon problem will reduce the risk to your health from this radioactive gas.

New radon maps, launched by the Environmental Protection Agency today, at the National Radon Forum, show an increased risk from radon in Ireland, with 170,000 homes now predicted to be at risk of radon exposure above the national reference level. This is an increase of 45,000 homes, from the previous estimate in 2002. The new maps update the radon risk assessment for the country and show that large parts of the country – particularly in Munster and Connaught – have been found to be at increased risk from radon. The map is based on work completed by Trinity College Dublin, Geological Survey of Ireland and the Economic and Social Research Institute alongside the EPA.

Mr Michéal Lehane, (EPA Director), speaking at today’s National Radon Forum said: “Radon is a serious public health hazard. The new maps combine thousands of radon measurements, with detailed geological information, and are a significant revision of the previous map from 2002. More importantly, the new maps make it easy for everyone to find out the radon risk in their local area using the eircode search on the EPA website. We urge people to test for radon as this is the only way of protecting you and your family from this cancer-causing gas”.

Employers too have a responsibility to ensure that their employees are protected from exposure to this radioactive gas.
Ms Yvonne Mullooly, Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), welcomed publication of the new radon maps saying:
“Employers in high radon areas are obliged to test their workplaces for radon. The new maps enable them to clearly identify where they are legally obliged to test, so allows for targeting of resources in the areas where the risk from radon is highest. The HSA will continue to support employers by providing information, and through our on-line risk assessment BeSMART tool www.BeSMART.ie.”
Radon testing is simple and inexpensive and, where necessary, reducing high radon levels in a building is also straightforward. The EPA provides a list of registered radon measurement services and publishes a list of registered contractors who offer a radon remediation service if high levels are found.
The maps are now available on the EPA’s website HERE and are searchable by Eircode and by address.

Thurles Municipal District Councillors Condemn Their Own Electorate.

Thurles.Info would like to correct statements made today, by Municipal District Councillors Mr Seamus Hanafin and Mr Jim Ryan, latter who falsely accused the public of littering Liberty Square in Thurles, over last weekend.

The images taken on the above video were photographed on Sunday morning, May 15th, at between 8:00am and 9.30am, before being uploaded around mid-day. View the attempt to cover-up HERE.

Mr Hanafin, the truth is that this administrator observed that all bins within Liberty Square were overflowing on Saturday night, May 14th, last. Early on Sunday morning I checked again, in the vain hope that those we elected at local election time, would arrange to undertake proper administration on our behalf, as indeed you as highly paid councillors are wont to undertake on behalf of the Thurles community, who elected you.

Alas, with no correct action taken by either you or Cllr. Ryan on Saturday evening, people acting totally responsibly, attempted to compact the contents of each bin, with little success. [Cllrs. Pizza Boxes are oversized].
Recyclable items therefore became dislodged, first by a south-westerly breeze and again at first light by crows, latter anxious to glean from the remains of take-away bags and pizza boxes.
Councillor Mr Hanafin you owe TippFM Radio an apology and also an apology to your electorate, for attempting to mislead them.

Mr Jim Ryan, you owe the publicans of this town an apology. I covered every inch of Liberty Square on Sunday morning as the video, herewith, shows. Not one piece of broken glass was to be seen on Liberty Square and only three disposable plastic glasses were located. You, sir, should also apologise to TippFM Radio; together with the publicans in Thurles, and your own electorate which each year appear to get less.

The video above shows quite clearly the truth of the matter and confirms that these inferior bins are not fit for purpose in any public setting.

Oh, and bye the way; both of you councillors should stay off TippFM, until you can learn to speak the truth. We now reside; directly because of your failures, in a town long forgotten.

In the meantime these bins need to be emptied last thing on Saturday evening, at least during the Summer months. May I suggest double time off, in lieu, during the week for those who undertake this work. After all, what are we paying Property Tax for or is it just to pay for your inflated salaries, while your tiny workforce work for a pittance.

In the meanwhile, tomorrow would be a good time for you gentlemen to publicaly apologise, before taking back control from your municipal district officials.

Further Extended Legislation For Pub & Restaurant Outdoor Seating Areas.

Minister Mrs Helen McEntee to further extend legislation for pub and restaurant outdoor seating areas.

Proposed to extend Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 until 30th November 2022.
Provides certainty for licenced premises serving alcohol in outdoor seating areas as summer season approaches.

Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee has moved to further extend the operation of outdoor seating areas, as licensed premises look ahead, to the busy summer months.

The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 was first introduced in July 2021, bringing about changes to allow for the sale and consumption of alcohol in relevant outdoor seating areas.

Minister McEntee stated: “Government has today approved my proposal to seek an extension to this legislation for a further six months until 30th November 2022. I will bring the necessary Motions before the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity in advance of 31st May.

The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021 gave much needed certainty to licenced premises during the pandemic, allowing publicans and restaurant owners across the country serving alcohol in relevant outdoor seating areas to operate lawfully.

Alcohol may be sold in the applicable areas until 11pm, which is considered reasonable and proportionate as a nationwide approach for private land outdoor seating areas.

While most of the Covid-19 restrictions have now lifted, I am very aware of how hard our pubs, restaurants and nightclubs have been hit by the restrictions of the past two years.

Many of these businesses are still struggling and it’s important that we give them the assistance they need to thrive as the busy summer season approaches. The extension of this legislation is a key support in that regard.”

The legislation applies where those outdoor seating areas have been permitted by the relevant local authority on public land, such as a path, or where they are on private land abutting the licensed premises, such as an abutting yard, as provided for in the Act.

Minister McEntee added that the forthcoming legislation on licensing laws – the Sale of Alcohol Bill – will help to further support and revitalise the hospitality industry and Night-Time Economy.

The Minister said: “I am committed to enacting alcohol licensing laws that reflect the changing expectations and lifestyles of 21st century Ireland. A modernised licensing system will play an important role in revitalising existing Night-Time Economy businesses.

To this end, my Department is currently working on the drafting of the General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill. This is advancing well, and it is my intention to progress this legislation in the months ahead with a view to enacting it this year”.

EPA Publishes Guidelines On Information To Be Contained In Environmental Impact Assessment Reports.

The EPA has today published updated Guidelines for preparing Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIARs) for projects covered by the EIA Directive.
The Guidelines are a statutory document that should be regarded by those preparing EIARs and the decision makers considering the EIARs.
These guidelines should improve the quality of EIARs, making the overall process clearer and easier to understand and easier for the public to participate.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today published ‘Guidelines on the information to be contained in Environmental Impact Assessment Reports’.
The Guidelines are primarily intended to be an authoritative reference to those preparing Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIARs) for projects covered by the EIA Directive.

Clear, concise, unambiguous information is essential throughout these reports. The Guidelines contain the systematic approach, standard descriptive methods and effect descriptions that can be used by developers. This ensures that all the likely significant effects are adequately considered and clearly communicated.

Commenting on the publication of the Guidelines, Ms. Sharon Finegan, (Director, EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability) said: “With increased emphasis on the need for meaningful public participation in decisions relating to environmental issues, it is more important than ever to ensure that information is available to the public in a format that is clear, concise and accessible. The Guidelines should improve the quality of EIARs, make the overall process clearer and easier to understand and should make it easier for the public to participate”.

The Guidelines are a statutory document that should be regarded by those preparing EIARs and the decision makers considering the EIARs.
The Guidelines will assist competent authorities when considering EIARs during the decision-making processes prior to granting/refusing consent. The EPA’s updated Guidelines will result in better environmental protection by ensuring that the EIA process is more clear, accessible, and identifies effects early and accurately.
The Guidelines are available on the EPA’s website HERE.
Contact: Ms Emily Williamson, (EPA Media Relations Office), Tel: 053 9170770, Email: media@epa.ie