Family Carers asked to put their life story on the line

Family Carers throughout Ireland are being invited to put pen to paper and compose a poem as part of Caring for Carers Ireland’s annual nationwide poetry competition.

Chief Fire Officers issue Carbon Monoxide warning

The Irish Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) is urging householders to be aware of the dangers associated with carbon monoxide (CO) build-up in the home as part Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week 2014.

Irish Water regional office to be located in Limerick

The announcement today by the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government of its decision to locate one of its eight regional Irish Water offices in Limerick has been welcomed by the Mayor and Cathaoirleach of Limerick.

Citylink Commuter Service Is Launched

Irish Citylink’s new online booking system went live today to coincide with the launch of the express coach operator’s Galway to Dublin commuter service.

Citylink Commuter is being targeted at people who wish to commute to work, college or schools situated along the route in Galway, Westmeath, Meath and Dublin. 

The 15 daily return services, which include a late night ‘Theatre Link’, will be operated by Citylink luxury coaches with free WiFi broadband access and air-conditioning.

Commenting on the commuter service, a spokesperson for Irish Citylink said: “The service has been rebranded to cater primarily for commuters living and working along the route. It will also cater for the needs of customers wishing to travel from town to town for shopping, hospital appointments and leisure activities.

“The service serves Dublin Airport and drops off at the front of Terminal 2, and at Bus stops 5 and 6 for Terminal 1.  We also have added a new late night service which means you can travel from Dublin after 11pm. This service is perfect for concert or theatre goers who do not want to spend the night in Dublin.

“We anticipate that the service will complement our 14 daily return direct services between Galway and Dublin and will transport approximately 500,000 people every year.

“A new faster, more user friendly on-line booking system is being provided to facilitate customers who wish to pre-book their tickets.  We also have established a Lo Call telephone number to facilitate customer enquiries”, the spokesperson added.

The locations served by the commuter service include Galway City, Oranmore, Craughwell, Loughrea, Aughrim, Ballinasloe, Athlone, Moate, Kilbeggan, Tyrellspass, Rochfortbridge, Milltownpass, Kinnegad, Enfield, Dublin and Dublin Airport.

Citylink Commuter offers single, return and 10 journey fares for commuters together with monthly, 3-monthly and annual TaxSaver tickets for commuters.  Special student fares are offered for single, return and 10 journey tickets.

Galway-based Irish Citylink also operates 14 non-stop daily return services between Galway-Dublin and Dublin Airport, 5 multi-stop daily return services between Galway and Cork, and daily return services between Galway to Clifden.

For more visit www.citylink.ie or Lo Call 1890 280808.

Irish Homeowners Could Save Thousands Of Euro With Passive Housing

People planning to build a new home could save themselves thousands of euro each year by developing a passive house.

That is according to the Passive House Association of Ireland (PHAI), a low energy design initiative comprising passive house designers and contractors. The Association, which was officially launched in Dublin this week, will operate in tandem with the ‘International Passive House Association’.

Passive house is the term used for a house which has no heating system installed, but whose occupants, rely on maximum heat gains from sunlight, high insulation and draught-proofing levels, for a comfortable and healthy lifestyle.

“Passive houses are leading the way toward a carbon-neutral future by producing more energy than they use and radically reducing fuel bills and C02 emissions”, explained PHAI Chairman Martin Murray.

He continued: “The Government's Building Regulations have lead to some improvements in energy efficiency in Ireland, but remain a minimum guide. Those in the construction industry and prospective homeowners, however, need to take the lead and invest in proper design. By doing so their homes will be energy efficient, therefore, helping to reduce their energy bills along with reducing overall CO2 emissions. The infrastructure required to implement such designs is available and affordable in Ireland, despite claims to the contrary from elements within the Irish Construction Industry.”

Mr. Murray added: “The idea of passive house construction is not new, as there are now over 30,000 examples built world-wide. These include many other types of building besides houses, such as, office-blocks, apartment-blocks, schools, and just recently a Tesco supermarket in Tramore, County Waterford. In each case, the building occupant has made considerable savings by not having to invest heavily in heating oil, gas or other fuel.”

He continued: “Extensive monitoring of these buildings is on-going and the results show that not only are the occupants saving money, but are, in general, hugely satisfied with the product which they have invested in.”

“The role of the association will be to develop the Passive House concept of construction within Ireland and attune it to the technologies and market practices prevalent within the country. The experience in other countries is that, such low energy initiatives only flourish, where National Associations take on a leadership role of research, promotion and education”, he concluded.

Individual and Corporate Membership of the Association is available and it is hoped that the Association will be of benefit to the construction industry as a whole.

The PHAI was launched during the annual SEAI/RIAI sponsored 'See the Light Conference' in Croke Park yesterday, 9th September 2010.

New Energy Awards Scheme Is Launched

The considerable shift within the Irish construction industry towards energy efficient building design is being acknowledged by a newly launched awards scheme, details of which were announced today.

Building professionals including architects, engineers, builders and developers, across Ireland are being urged to submit entries to the Isover Energy Efficiency Awards (EEA), which recognise new and renovated buildings that have been built with a very low energy demand.

A €10,000 prize will be presented to the overall winner of the Irish finals who will go forward to represent Ireland at a European Awards ceremony in Madrid in May 2011. The winner will also be profiled in the internationally-distributed Isover ‘Best Of’ book.

According to Mr. Kieran Holohan of ISOVER Ireland: “The new awards scheme will celebrate Ireland’s most energy efficient renovation and new construction projects, both in the residential and non-residential sectors.”

Mr. Holohan added: “The ISOVER Energy Efficiency Awards reflect two environmental issues that are at the very heart of our core objectives - protection of the environment in the face of climate change, and enhancing the quality of and physical comfort in the buildings where we work and live.”

He pointed out that much of Ireland’s existing building stock continues to consume a considerable amount of energy for heating with significant emissions of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels.

“New building regulations coupled with a change in consumer behaviour and attitudes has led to a significant increase in the number of renovation and construction projects embracing energy efficient design”, Mr. Holohan stated.

“Not only will this new awards scheme honour those who have excelled in the energy efficient building sector but it will also allow scheme participants to exchange and share knowledge and experience in the field. ISOVER Ireland is confident that this will help to highlight the importance of improving the energy performance of our buildings and, subsequently, the inhabitants' quality of life”, concluded Mr. Holohan.

The adjudication panel includes leading Irish experts in the field of green design and construction, namely Tomas O Leary, Passive House Academy Ireland; Jeff Colley, Editor of Construct Ireland and winner of the 2010 Green Leader Award; Jay Stuart RIBA, Sustainable Design Consultant; and Zdenka Debartoli, International Market Manager Building, ISOVER.

Projects entered in the competition must be fully completed by December 2010 and not more than 5 years old. Closing date for entries October 8th 2010. The Irish awards ceremony will take place in December 2010.

For more see www.isover-eea.com.

Killeen Officiates At European Triathlon Championships In Athlone

The Minister for Defence Mr Tony Killeen TD today officiated at the opening ceremony for the European Triathlon Championships in Athlone, Co. Westmeath.

The Championships take place from the 1st to the 4th of July 2010.

The Irish Triathlon Union (ITU) European Triathlon Championships is the second largest championships ever staged in Ireland - second only to the Special Olympics. This year the event has been extended to a four day programme. The event is supported by Waterways Ireland, Athlone Town Council, Fáilte Ireland and the Defence Forces.

Speaking at the ceremony Minister Killeen said “I am delighted to be here this evening to officiate at this major international sporting event. I know that over the last 4 years Triathlone has grown to be one of the biggest triathlons in the world. It is a great honour for Athlone and the ITU to be awarded the staging of the European Triathlon Championships. It is the first ever round of professional triathlon circuit to be held in Ireland.”

The Defence Forces participated in the triAthlone Parade of Nations with the band of the 4th Western Brigade who led the parade from Custume Barracks to the Civic Plaza. Each national flag was carried by a member of the Reserve Defence Forces ahead of athletes from that country. The Air Corps display team provided a fly past.

Triathlon is the fastest growing sport in Ireland. The first Triathlon in Ireland was held in Greystones, Co Wicklow in 1983. In the last 4 years triAthlone has firmly established itself as a significant event in the European circuit, drawing increasing numbers of participants and competitors each year. The first Triathlon in Ireland was held in Greystones, Co. Wicklow.

It is expected that approx 4,000 athletes will participate in the event, with over 1500 coming from overseas. The professional European Championship event will have 120 elite competitors participating. Up to 50,000 people are expected to attend the Championships over the 4 days.

Minister Killeen complimented the organisers and sponsors on this major logistical undertaking and wished all the athletes well for the event.

Citylink Awards €30M Outsourcing Contract To Callinan Coaches

Citylink Ireland announced today that it has outsourced its operations to Galway-based Callinan Coaches Ltd, in a deal worth in excess of €30m.

Under the terms of the five-year contract, Callinan Coaches will carry in excess of one million passengers each year on 85 daily Citylink routes, connecting Ireland’s major cities and international airports.

Claregalway-based Callinan Coaches currently employs 35 drivers and a number of maintenance staff to operate 14 Non Stop services for Citylink, as well as a number of domestic and continental services. An additional 39 drivers will be employed under the terms of the new contract.

Callinan’s fleet of 15 coaches, all of which are 5-Star Failte Ireland approved, will operate the new services along with Citylink Ireland’s fleet of luxury 24 coaches.

Commenting on the contract, Cathy Cullen, Managing Director of Citylink said: “The awarding of this outsourcing contract is an integral part of Citylink’s strategy to secure the financial stability of the company and to reaffirm our long-term commitment to the Irish market. The deal is great news for the travelling public as it consolidates the level and quality of services currently being provided, while it also enables Citylink to refocus its marketing strategy going forward”.

“Citylink are confident that Callinan Coaches, which has been named ‘Intercity Coach Operator Of The Year’ for two years in succession, will operate their scheduled services to the highest standard. Callinan and Citylink share a strong commitment to providing excellent customer care and consistency in the delivery of a first class service”, Ms. Cullen added.

Tommy Callinan, Founder of Callinan Coaches Ltd. stated: "We look forward to continuing our work with Citylink Ireland, delivering a service that allows the company to concentrate on launching new routes and expanding its scope throughout Ireland."

Callinan Coaches, on behalf of Citylink, will operate the following services under the outsourcing agreement:
- 15 multi-stop Galway to Dublin and 15 multi-stop Dublin to Galway services daily
- 14 non-stop Galway to Dublin and 14 non-stop Dublin to Galway services daily (Callinan Coaches currently operates these services under contract for Citylink)
- 5 multi-stop Galway to Cork and 5 multi-stop Cork to Galway services daily
- Daily services from Galway to and from Clifden
- Daily services from Galway to and from Shannon International Airport

For more visit www.citylink.ie.

Mayor Calls For Public Retaliation Against Banks

The Mayor of Clare has called on members of the public to retaliate against any bank that raises mortgage interest rates by withholding mortgage payments, withdrawing bank savings and demanding that employers provide all wage payments in cash.

Councillor Tony Mulcahy said the actions should be taken if Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, T.D., does not impose a moratorium on interest rate hikes by Friday, April 30th 2010. The Mayor confirmed he would be presenting his motion at this coming Monday’s monthly meeting of Clare County Council.

He added that the recent spate of interest rate hikes by AIB and Bank of Ireland was unsustainable for mortgage holders who were “paying on the double” for the recapitalisation of Irish financial institutions.

The Mayor pointed out that his call for retaliatory measures to be taken against banks was not politically driven but instead borne out of growing public anger over what he described as “the banking sector’s complete disregard for the Irish taxpayer and the Irish economy”.

“The fact that Bank of Ireland’s latest mortgage interest rate increase follows just 24 hours after the European Central Bank announced it was keeping euro zone interest rates unchanged at 1%, is nothing short of scandalous. Furthermore, it is an insult to every taxpayer in this country that Bank of Ireland has announced the move in a week when the bank's initial tranche of commercial property loans were transferred”, commented Mayor Mulcahy.

He continued: “The Bank’s claim that the cost of funding mortgages has become increasingly costly is an insult to taxpayers who are footing the bill for the recapitalisation of the banks. In essence, taxpayers are paying on the double while the unregulated financial institution merry-go-round starts to spin again. These Banking institutions have bled this country dry and should not be allowed to continue their reckless behaviour, whether that is through Government intervention or the measures I am proposing”.

The Mayor added: “A Facebook page, ‘Punish The Banks’, has been established for anyone wishing to join my call for Minister Lenihan to impose a moratorium on any further interest rate increases. I would urge members of the public to join this campaign and send out a message to the Government and our Banks that we will not tolerate any further interest rate hikes”.

“I too am a mortgage holder and tax payer who is fed up of banks profiteering from the very people who bailed them out. Protest marches and token commentary do not make a blind bit of difference to how our banks operate. The only way of making them sit up and listen is to stop the cash flowing through the banking system”, concluded the Mayor.

Energy Upgrade Scheme Will Create Thousands Of Jobs

A Pay As You Save (PAYS) scheme designed to energy upgrade virtually every building in Ireland over the next decade was officially recognised at Ireland’s prestigious 2010 Green Awards in Dublin last night.

Green building magazine Construct Ireland editor Jeff Colley (pictured), who developed the financing model, received the Green Leader and Green Communications awards for his successful campaigning work on PAYS.

The scheme, which is scheduled to be rolled out by Energy Minister Eamon Ryan before the end of 2010, will enable cash-strapped homeowners and businesses to pay for energy saving measures through fixed repayments on their energy bills over several years.

“Save as You Pay can become a major driver in Ireland’s economic recovery,” commented Mr. Colley. He said the upgrading of 100,000 homes per year will create thousands of jobs, reduce Ireland’s 6bn euro energy import bill, dramatically cut carbon emissions, and enable all Irish people to have comfortable, healthy homes.

"If ever there is an idea that's of its time, it is pay-as-you-save," added Colley. "We have just been through a freezing winter, carbon tax is coming in, and hundreds of thousands of Irish people are stuck in badly built, draughty homes with no ability to pay for the upgrade work needed to make their home more comfortable, cheaper to run, and more valuable. PAYS is specifically designed to solve that problem, and will mean that people can add the cost of the upgrade to their energy bill over time, with the repayments offset against reduced energy costs."

However Colley, who has no commercial interest in PAYS, cautioned that an ill-informed approach could see the scheme falling well short of its potential. He continued: "It is critical that the utilities give considered, independent advice, and that they do not contradict each other. If one utility says 'you should put in wall insulation' and another says 'don't do that - you should put in solar panels and heating controls,' it will create confusion and lack credibility."

Energy minister Eamon Ryan announced in December that his Department plans to test pay-as-you-save by the summer, before mandatory roll-out by the end of 2010.

Colley and Construct Ireland developed a campaign for PAYS last August and September through www.payscampaign.ie, with consequent national helping Colley to successfully lobby for the inclusion of PAYS in the renewed programme for government. In August an Amárach/Construct Ireland survey found that 80% of Irish homeowners would be interested in paying for energy upgrades through their utility bills.

Construct Ireland was among 20 winners of the 2010 Green Awards, which recognise excellence and outstanding achievement by organisations and individuals in tackling climate change and addressing environmental issues. Diageo won the overall green business award for its significant achievement in reducing water consumption by half; for decreasing waste sent to landfill by two thirds by putting in place an advanced waste management and waste prevention programme; and reducing their overall carbon footprint by nearly three quarters.

Irish Primary Schools Can Save Hundreds Of Euro By Installing Waterless Technology

One of the Mid West Region’s best known primary schools has moved to reduce its annual water and sewer charges by installing waterless urinal systems.

The Model School in Limerick City invested in the systems, which were installed by brwaterless solution, to offset the scale of metered water charges that were introduced for all schools and educational centres in January. The Sligo-based company says that thousands of schools around the country are unwittingly flushing money down the toilet by using conventional toilets instead of newer waterless urinals.

The savings for the Model School has led brwaterless solution to develop the country’s first Pay As You Save (PAYS) programme for national schools interested in using the Waterless No-Flush systems.

According to Ortwin Reintjes of brwaterless solution: “The country’s National Primary Schools have been severely affected by the introduction of metered charges as many are not equipped with urinals for male pupils, necessitating toilet flushes for urination. The absence of installed urinals means that it is very difficult to reduce the level of water usage and the corresponding water and sewer charges”.

Mr. Reintjes said that the Model School will benefit from significant savings by its use of the system.

He explained: “The average conventional urinal uses between 50,000 and 150,000 litres of potable water per year. With only two Waterless No-Flush units installed, the Model School, based on its male pupil population of 250, will benefit from savings on water and wastewater charges of up to 350 euro per year, based on Limerick City Council water charges of EUR2.30 per 1000 litres. Outside of the obvious water conservation and commercial benefits for the school, the urinals also lead to increased hygiene as well as a significant reduction of CO2 emissions and maintenances costs.”

The urinals resemble conventional wall-hung urinal fixtures, but do not require a water supply or flush valve for their proper functioning. Gravity helps the flow into the urinal trap and into the drain line. The urinals, which can even be made of approximately 30 per cent of soybean resin, not only save water but help save natural resources and promote sustainability as well. Due to the dryness of the fixture, bacteria growth is inhibited and odours are eliminated through the minimal use of BlueSeal.

Commenting on the background to the PAYS scheme, Mr. Reintjes said: “On request, we evaluate how many litres of water per year and how much maintenance can be saved though the use of Waterless No-Flush system. The cost of the urinals is paid from part of the savings made on the reduced water charges. Fixtures are usually paid off within two years after which the schools keep on saving on water and sewer charges, along with reduced maintenance costs.”

Commenting on the environmental benefits of the scheme, Mr. Reintjes noted: “The world is becoming increasingly aware of the need to conserve water and to diminish waste water. Dwindling natural resources, climate changes, the need to reduce and/or conserve budget money plus behavioral changes have led to an increased awareness and desire to install water conserving fixtures. We intend rolling out the PAYS program to other schools throughout the country and look forward to the opportunity to speak with Boards of Management interested in finding out more about the systems and to save money.”

For more on brwaterless solution’s PAYS (Pay As You Save) program see www.brwaterless.ie, telephone 071-9150622 or email ortwin@brwaterless.ie.

Single Payment Scheme Online Application Facility Opens For Business

The Department of Agriculture’s online application facility for the 2010 Single Payment Scheme – SPS iNet – was opened for business this week, which is six weeks earlier than the opening date under the 2009 Scheme.

Junior Agriculture Minister and Clare T.D., Tony Killeen said the facility provides for applications to be lodged by individual farmers or their nominated approved Agents.

He continued: “I am pleased to see that the momentum is being maintained as regards iNET, particularly given the attractiveness of the system to Single Payment applicants. In the course of only three years, the level of on-line applications has risen dramatically, from 7,500 in 2007 to 35,000 in 2009. This is further clear evidence of the ongoing very strong commitment of the Department to maximising new technology, to the clear benefit of farmers”..

Minister of State Killeen noted that those who submit their applications on-line are much more likely to have their applications cleared for payment more quickly, because of this aspect of the on-line system.

“Analysis of the issues which delay processing of applications shows that a very high percentage are delayed because of basic errors or omissions on the part of the applicant. However, it has been possible to construct the on-line facility with a series of compulsory fields and built-in validations, which dramatically reduces the level of these types of error, simply by refusing to allow the applicant to make the error in the first instance. Unfortunately, such an option is not available with the traditional paper application”, he added.

Minister of State Killeen confirmed that in addition to the almost 25,000 farmers who are registered with the Department to use the on-line facility, a similar number have also availed of the option to have an approved designated Agent lodge their application via the on-line system on their behalf.

The closing date for receipt of applications under the 2010 Schemes is 17 May 2010, regardless of whether applications are submitted on-line or the traditional paper application. New entrants are advised to contact any of the Department’s Offices, or to consult the Department’s website.

Meanwhile, Minister of State Killeen has welecomed the granting of on-line access to Nitrogen and Phosphorus statements for approved designated Agents. He explained: “Farmers need to be aware of their requirements under the Nitrates Regulations and this additional facility is a convenient way for approved agents to check the individual output of their clients and advise, if necessary, on any appropriate action. The Department has already sent out N&P statements to farmers farming at or above 150 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year. This information will assist farmers in their decision regarding whether they need a derogation in 2010. It is important that farmers make this decision as soon as possible as the closing date for receipt of derogation applications is Wednesday, 31st March 2010. No applications for derogations will be accepted after this date.”

The Minister of State also referred to a number of new Schemes which are being introduced in 2010 and in respect of which further announcements would be made in due course, namely:
• The Grassland Sheep Scheme;
• The Dairy Efficiency Scheme;
• The Burren Life (Farming for Conservation in the Burren) Scheme

Anyone considering availing of the on-line facility are urged to make enquiries via the website, www.agfood.ie or, alternatively, the dedicated Helpdesk at Lo-call 1890 252 118.

Six Arrested Following Drugs Swoop In Athlone

Six people have been arrested in connection with the sale of heroin in Athlone, Co Westmeath.

All six people were arrested in the early hours of this morning reports RTE. Local gardaí were supported by members of the Garda National Drugs Unit in carrying out the operation.

It is expected that some of those arrested today will appear in court later.

Minister O’Keeffe to allow schools to reopen tomorrow

Arising from an update on the weather, the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD, has decided that the normal arrangements whereby schools decide to open or close based on local circumstances should be re-instated.

This means that schools in a position to open tomorrow [Tuesday] should do so. Minister O’Keeffe took his decision based on weather advice given to this morning’s meeting of the Government’s emergency planning group and the unexpected rise in temperatures that has occurred in parts of the country.

Killeen Seeks Simplified CAP Rules And Procedures

Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen has backed calls for a simplification of the rules and procedures involved in operating the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The Clare Fianna Fail T.D. was speaking following a meeting of the Council of Ministers in Brussels. He stated: “Proposals for simplification measures were made last May by a group consisting of Ireland and 12 other countries. In reviewing progress on these proposals, the Council agreed that while there had been useful work done, further efforts were needed. The Irish Government is now insisting that efforts to simply the rules and procedures are intensified, and I am delighted to see that there is strong agreement for this from other counties.”

Minister of State Killeen continued: “Officials will now continue the very detailed work involved in this and report to Ministers on a regular basis. In addition to this immediate work, I was also particularly pleased that a suggestion by my colleague Minister Brendan Smith that policy simplification should form a fundamental plank of our consideration of the shape of the CAP after 2013 was reflected by the Swedish chairman in concluding the debate. We need a simple EU agricultural policy - simple to justify to EU taxpayers, simple for farmers to understand and operate and simple for Member States to implement and enforce".

Among the other issues considered at the meeting of Agriculture Ministers was the CAP after 2013, and in particular the Rural Development or "Pillar 2" aspects of the common policy. Pillar 1 of the CAP consists of the Single Farm Payment and market support measures.

Commenting on the agriculture elements of Rural Development, Minister Killeen said that the Irish Government supported a move towards supporting competitiveness and sustainability in our farming systems. “Measures which promote competitiveness will perform a pivotal role in encouraging efficiency and innovation in farming for the future. These measures are critical to the future of Irish and European farming and should be maintained and enhanced”, he concluded.

Killeen Welcomes Introduction Of Dairy Efficiency Programme

Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen has welcomed the announcement of a new three-year Dairy Efficiency Programme under which EUR18 million will be spent in encouraging significant efficiency gains on Irish dairy farms.

The Programme will support the transfer to milk producers of technology and knowledge that will help them to adopt best practice in the running of their enterprises.

Commenting on the background to the new programme, Minister of State Killeen said: “The dairy industry, while open to great opportunities, faces also many challenges as it prepares for quota abolition and the realities of competing in a global marketplace. At producer level the focus must be on maximising efficiency in order to compete and to cope with periods of severe volatility like that which we have recently experienced. The Government's commitment to the development of the Smart Economy is therefore as relevant to dairying as it is to any other sector of the economy. Initiatives like the Dairy Efficiency Programme exemplify that commitment, and indeed are vital in ensuring that the fine work being done in agricultural colleges around the country is carried through to full-time careers in farming."

Commenting further on the programme, the Clare Fianna Fail T.D. indicated that EUR6 million will be made available in each of 2010, 2011 and 2012 to encourage the participation by dairy farmers in the programme. The groups which will operate under the programme will be formed and assisted by facilitators who have been trained by Teagasc to a FETAC-accredited standard, will place particular emphasis on the adoption of best practice in relation to grassland management, breeding and financial management. Participants in the programme will have their progress monitored by their facilitator, and they will be required to meet certain standards in relation to attendance and project completion. In return they will receive a payment at the end of each year, with the level of payment determined by the participation rate in the Programme.

Minister of State Killeen added: "The availability of unspent Single Payment Scheme funds arising from the Health Check agreement provides an opportunity to further reinforce the initiatives that the Department has undertaken to help the dairy industry to look to the future with optimism. The Dairy Efficiency Programme will complement the innovative approach already taken to the Milk Quota Trading Scheme, to the modernisation of the milk quota regulations, to the encouragement of Milk Production Partnerships, to the allocation of quota to new entrants and to the support of future-oriented dairy research.”

Further details in relation to the Dairy Efficiency Programme, which will be up and running as will be up-and-running as early as possible in 2010, will be made available shortly”, he concluded.

December Sales Boost For Irish Retailers

A survey carried out by researchers at Waterford Institute of Technology has found that December may give rise to optimism for beleaguered Irish retailers.

The study which was conducted by the RIKON Research Group, on behalf of AllGifts.ie, found that 73 per cent of Irish consumers will spend the same or more on Christmas gifts this year compared to previous years, while 63 per cent of those surveyed have indicated they will wait until December to do their Christmas shopping.

The face-to-face survey also reveals that online spending continues to grow in popularity among Irish shoppers. The main reasons given for shopping for gifts online were not price related, but rather convenience (60 pc of those surveyed) and time saving (22 pc), with online bargains accounting for a distant third (18 pc).

“Despite the current economic conditions, Irish shoppers have indicated that they are willing to open their wallets for a bargain,” said Gary Purcell, Managing Director of AllGifts.ie (ABOVE LEFT).

Mr. Purcell noted that the survey findings could be attributed to the introduction of pre-Christmas high streets sales and other special offers, as well as the 6.6 pc decline in consumer prices between January and October this year.

He added: “The results of this survey are very welcome news for Irish retailers who have experienced a considerable drop off in footfall over the last year. The vast majority of Irish shoppers are saying they will spend the same or more on gifts this year, with online shoppers leading the way. Online consumers are spending more even though their spending power is not as great as the non-online buyers”.

Survey results for consumers that do not shop online for Christmas gifts:
- The three major barriers to not shopping for Christmas presents online are (in order of importance): consumers do not have a credit card, they prefer to see items before they buy them, and they don’t like to wait for items to be delivered
- Over a third of these consumers will spend between 201-500 euro this Christmas (35 pc) with 24 pc indicating they will spend over 500 euro
- A large majority (69 pc) indicated that they will spend either the same or more than last year on Christmas presents
- A large majority indicated that they shop for presents in December (70 pc consumers)

Survey results for consumers that shop online for Christmas gifts:
- The three major reasons that consumers shop online for Christmas presents are: convenience (61 pc), save time (22 pc) and best place to find bargains (18 consumers)
- They are likely to spend 201-500 euro this year on their Christmas shopping (39 pc), with a further 31 pc indicating that they will be spending over 500 euro this Christmas on gifts
- They are likely to spend about the same online as previous years on their Christmas gifts (41 pc), yet a further 49 pc indicated that they would be spending more than in previous years
- 77 pc of online consumers will be spending the same or more this Christmas on gifts than the previous ones
- They are most likely to complete their Christmas shopping in December (58 pc)
- A slight majority does not expect to buy gifts online for children (56 pc).

AllGifts.ie sells 10,000 gifts and gift vouchers online from 175 Irish retailers. An estimated 50,000 shoppers are expected to visit the website during December.

The Top Ten Gifts purchased by the 8,500 registered users of the website in November are as follows (in order of popularity): (1) Airplane Flying Lessons, (2) Hotel Breaks for Two, (3) Restaurant Meal vouchers, (4) Netbook and Laptops, (5) Spa Treatment vouchers, (6) Helicopter Rides, (7) Gourmet Food Hampers, (8) Internet Radios, (9) Rally and 4x4 Driving Experience and (10) Oxfam Gift of a Goat.

For more on the Christmas Shopping Survey visit www.allgifts.ie.

Upland Sheep Scheme Payments To Be Made In Early December

Tony Killeen T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has confirmed that special payments amounting to approximately 7 million euro will be made to 13,000 hill sheep farmers over the next two months.

Minister Killeen confirmed that he expected that Upland Sheep Payment Scheme payments worth in the region of 5 million euro would be made by the end of the year with the remaining 2 million euro being paid in early 2010. A further 54 million euro will be made available over the next three years in unused CAP funds to support incomes in the sheep sector.

The Clare T.D. said: “The Uplands Sheep Payment comprises unused funds from the Single Payment National Reserve. By creating this payment, the Government has recognised the difficulties and costs, including compliance costs, facing the sheep sector.”

“In addition to the 7 million euro payments being made over the next two months, the Department has allocated an additional 8 million euro for sheep fencing and mobile handling facilities to assist sheep farmers in reducing labour input, as part of a new targeted on-farm investment scheme”, added Minister of State Killeen.

The 2009 Upland Sheep Payment will be payable to farmers who declared their sheep under the 2007 and the 2008 Sheep Census; declared Mountain Type Grazing under the 2009 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme; and were eligible for and were in receipt of payment under the 2009 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. The maximum area payable is 15 hectares of mountain type grazing.

Crop Variety Evaluation Programme Review Is Completed

Junior Agriculture Minister and Clare T.D. Tony Killeen has confirmed that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has completed an in-depth review of the Crop Variety Evaluation programme.

Among the key recommendations of the review are restructuring within the Department to reduce costs, greater collaboration with Teagasc, changes to the cereal and grass trialling protocols and introduction of some cost recovery.

As part of Ireland's Statutory obligation under EU Legislation for the marketing of agricultural plant varieties, the Department carries out National List trials on all of the major crops being grown in Ireland including cereals, grasses, oilseed rape and potatoes. In addition to the Statutory function carried out with respect to National List trials, the Department goes a step further and carries out an enhanced programme of Recommended List trials. These trials provide a comprehensive guide for Irish farmers in choosing the most suitable varieties for growing in Ireland.

According to Minister of State Killeen: “The Crop Variety Evaluation work provides an independent service whereby farmers can be confident that the recommended varieties perform well under a wide range of growing conditions. The contribution of improved varieties to increased production of wheat and barley is significant. Today, Ireland is among the highest yield of cereals per hectare in the world.”

The local T.D. noted the importance of exploring every opportunity to make savings, improve efficiencies, and improve the competitiveness of Irish agriculture production through the availability of the best varieties of cereals and grasses.

He added; “Crop variety trialling costs will be reduced by over 20% by amalgamating two Divisions within the Department - Crop Variety Evaluation and Seed Certification Divisions - and redeploying a number of staff to other areas of work. Department officials are in on-going discussions with Teagasc on making changes to both the grass and cereal evaluation protocols."

It is planned to introduce the new protocols in 2010. The grass trials will put greater weighting on grazing reflecting the increasing emphasis on low cost extended grazing systems for dairy and beef production. For cereals, the Department has agreed to include a number of Teagasc BETTER tillage farms as sites for trialling which will facilitate improved knowledge transfer to the commercial cereal growers. The review also recommends a contribution from industry towards the annual costs of providing the service. Charges for crop variety evaluation are in place in other EU Member States. The Department will continue to carry a proportion of the burden of cost.

WESTMEATH - Satellite Broadband Ireland Announce 30 Jobs In Mullingar

Mullingar-based Satellite Broadband Ireland has annoucned the creation of 30 new jobs after it was awarded a contract from mobile-broadband player 3 to provide satellite services to homes in rural Ireland.

As part of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) being rolled out by 3, Satellite Broadband Ireland will provide satellite-broadband services to up to 5pc of the 223,000 targeted buildings throughout rural Ireland.