Farming « Thurles Information

Department of Justice Supports Crime Victims At Ploughing Championships.

Justice sector representatives on hand to discuss victims’ rights at Department’s stand #328, Row 20 ‘Supporting Victims of Crime’.

Over the course of three days at the Ploughing Championships starting from tomorrow, September 20th , 2022, representatives from the Department of Justice, the Irish Prison Service, the Courts Service, the Legal Aid Board and the Victims of Crime Helpline, will be working together to support victims of crime.
Staff from across the Justice Sector will be on hand at Stand #328, Row 20 under the headline ‘Supporting Victims of Crime’ to speak to members of the public about their rights and supports available, as set out in the Victims Charter, if they become or have been victims of crime.

Members of An Garda Síochána will also be there to discuss how An Garda Síochána supports and helps victims throughout the reporting and investigation process, with a view to emphasising that nobody should feel afraid to report a crime.

Representatives from the Courts Service will focus on the technological facilities in place that make the courts process easier for victims, for example the use of video-link and screens in trials. They will also be able to explain the work of court accompaniments organisations funded by the Department of Justice, such as Victims Support at Court (VSaC).

The Irish Prison Service will be highlighting the Victims Liaison Office of the Prison Service, which can liaise with victims on relevant developments in the sentence management of a prisoner, for example temporary release, which a victim may wish to be aware of.

The Legal Aid Board will be available to speak to visitors to the stand about legal aid services for victims of crime.

The Crime Victims Helpline will also be present to highlight their national support service, whether by freephone, text or by email.

Speaking ahead of the event, Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee said: “The National Ploughing Championship is an important event in the calendar each year for agricultural and rural communities in Ireland. While it is a fun and educational event that celebrates farming, rural life, music and entertainment, given the massive and diverse attendance, it is also a really positive opportunity to reach into communities.

That is why I am delighted to be able to attend and share our important message around the supports available to victims of crime. Being a victim of crime can happen to anyone, and if it does, it can be traumatic. If you do become a victim of crime, it is important to know that you are not alone – you are entitled to help and support from a range of agencies across the justice sector.

Colleagues from across the sector are available at the Department of Justice’s tent to engage with anybody interested or affected and I would encourage everyone to drop in to say hello.”

Men Airlifted To Hospital Following Farm Accident.

It has been reported that, last week, two men were airlifted to Cork University Hospital following a farm accident in Co. Tipperary.
The accident is understood to have occurred in the Cappawhite area of Co Tipperary and both men are understood to have suffered a fall, while carrying out work.

Gardaí have confirmed that officers attended a workplace accident on Thursday afternoon last, September 15th, at approximately 1.30pm.

The two injured men, are understood to be aged in their 40s, however the extent of their injuries has not been disclosed.

Emergency services were called to the scene and an air ambulance was called to bring both men to hospital.

The Health Safety Authority were notified regarding the incident.

Teagasc Accuse Northern Ireland Poultry Farms Of Falsifying Official Documentation.

In Northern Ireland, poultry farmers are accused of having allegedly used falsified official documents; same needed to obtain necessary planning permission, in order to provide evidence that they can safely dispose of or store manure, produced by their expanding farms.

Teagasc, the Irish Republic’s agri-food agency, had launched an internal investigation into the planning applications of dozens of northern poultry farmers beginning in 2021 and to-date, investigations are understood to have identified over 20 cases of falsification or the amending of applied applications, with farmers names used without permission or consent regarding chicken litter contracts.

Teagasc claim that it found that most of these applications used documentation purporting to be issued on their behalf, which were either completely falsified or certainly altered, and also without their knowledge or indeed consent.

These same planning applications relate to the export of chicken manure/litter, latter a rich fertiliser, produced by poultry farms. In order to obtain necessary planning permissions, applicants must provide continued evidence that they can safely dispose of, or store, manure produced by their farm units. However, most farms do not have the capacity to store the quantity of litter produced, as these farms continue to expand.

Historically, waste/manure/litter from poultry units in Northern Ireland would have been spread on local agricultural land or for use in the mushroom industry.
However, in more recent times the rapid growth in chicken farming has produced an unsustainable volume of poultry manure, both in Northern Ireland and indeed to a lesser extent here in the Republic of Ireland also. Some 65,000 tonnes of known chicken waste were imported into the Republic just last year. Since 2017, over 280,000 tonnes of poultry litter were imported into the Republic of Ireland.

This same poultry litter produces harmful emissions such as Ammonia, latter gas which is already at extremely high levels across the whole island of Eire. There also, is a further downside to the production of such quantities of poultry litter, with same known to cause environmental and human health risks, through water, air and soil pollution; with the spreading of antimicrobial residues, causing respiratory issues.

The Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture says it was contacted by Teagasc, latter here in Southern Ireland, following internal investigations by Teagasc last year.

In Ireland over 110 million birds are processed for meat and 900 million eggs are produced annually. There are estimated to be 24.5 million chickens being produced in Northern Ireland at any given time.

Village Market, Holycross, Thurles, Takes Place Tomorrow Afternoon.

The Holycross Village Market Committee Reports:-

“Come and join us tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, May 28th, from 1:00pm – 3:00pm, for yet another lovely organic market day.

Truly a lively community space for all to meet for a coffee; listen to our talented buskers and shop for those special goods.

As always, we will have our usual familiar vendors; some new faces and surprises every week.

This week we have a voucher for the Shop & Tea Rooms at the “Cottage Tea Rooms” in Loughmore, Templemore, Co. Tipperary. [Tickets are available only on market day at the ‘Market Team’ table.]

We love to meet and greet you on market days and we extend our offer of assistance to anyone who may need our help in any way.
Keep a look out for us on Facebook and Instagram and thank you for visiting us at the Holycross Village Market.”

Intervention By Gardaí & ISPCA – Plus Sheep Killed By Dogs In Co. Tipperary.

Three dogs have been rescued from a property in Co. Tipperary.
Two of the dogs were being accommodated in a space with limited daylight through a skylight, due to the provided window space area being barricaded with wooden pallets.

Yesterday, ISPCA staff with the assistance of Gardaí from the Community Policing Unit, at Cahir entered the property under warrant, where they discovered three mature dogs living in deplorable filthy, conditions amid strewn about raw meat and other discarded rubbish and with no water available for any of the animals.

All three dogs are now safe in ISPCA care, where they are currently being assessed by a veterinary practitioner.

In a Totally Unrelated Incident.

On Monday April 25th last, just one Tipperary farm lost 27 hoggets (less than one year old yearling sheep) , same killed in a dog attack on his farm in the Knockmealdown mountains in south Co. Tipperary. This recent attack is this farms 10th dog attack since, they began operating their farm some 30 years ago, situated on the border of counties Tipperary and Waterford.

The owner of the sheep, latter a native of Newcastle, Co Tipperary, believes the dog responsible was an Alsatian and the same dog that attacked and killed his neighbour’s sheep back last December, 2021.