Five-Year Conservation Scheme For Irish Lobster Industry

Tony Killeen, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (with special responsibility for Forestry, Fisheries and the Marine), today launched the 2009-2013 National Lobster V-Notching Scheme in Carrigaholt, County Clare.

Co-ordinated by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) - the Irish Sea Fisheries Board - the new Scheme follows on from the very successful 2002-2008 scheme which saw approximately 70,000 Lobsters v-notched through a BIM-industry partnership, significantly increasing the spawning potential of the lobster population nationally.

Lobster 'v-notching' is one of the most important conservation measures for the Irish Lobster stock. It involves cutting a small notch in one of the flaps on the tail of a female lobster to create an easily recognised mark that remains for up to two moults. When a lobster is marked in this way, it is illegal to land, possess or sell it and it must be returned live to the sea. This ensures the lobster has an opportunity to breed at least once before the notch grows out, as female lobsters generally breed and moult in alternate years. The v-notch is not permanent and after about 4 to 6 years it disappears completely. At this point, the lobster can, once again, be legally taken and offered for sale. Or it can be re-notched and returned to the sea.

The scheme was introduced to Ireland by BIM in the 1990's and it allows for lobster fishermen and co-ops to receive grant aid of 50% (individual) to 55% (Co-op) of the market price of a lobster if it is v-notched by a BIM officer and returned alive to the sea by the fisherman in order to spawn. In areas with strong V-notching programmes, the scheme has had a hugely significant impact on the lobster stock, leading to an increase in catch rates of approximately 40% in coastal areas such as Clare and Wexford. In addition, an increase in the number of juvenile lobsters could also be demonstrated as a result of v-notching in these areas.

Speaking at the launch of the new Scheme, Minister Killeen stated: "I am delighted to be here today to launch the 2009 National Lobster V-Notching Scheme. The success of the previous scheme clearly demonstrates the industry's commitment to working with BIM to secure the future of this vital inshore fishery and I am confident that the 2009 scheme will allow BIM and Industry to continue to build on this success to protect and manage stocks effectively for the years ahead. This scheme is a significant step forward in drawing together the necessary elements in managing one of our most valuable inshore fisheries, and it is to be welcomed, particularly for County Clare where 14,000 lobsters were v-notched since 2002 and where nearly 80% of those in the industry are engaged in the scheme".

The 2002-2008 scheme saw over 40,000 lobsters being tagged and biological data recorded for each one. Through industry co-operation, tagged lobster recaptures were recorded and various biological parameters re-measured, particularly size, which means that unprecedented data is now available on lobster growth and reproduction. This has become one of the largest scale data collection exercises carried out for any inshore fishery globally. It is hoped that this data will be continually improved through further sampling and extending the geographic range of 2009 Scheme.

BIM CEO Jason Whooley expressed his optimism regarding the potential of the 2009 Scheme: "Within a six year period the National Lobster V-Notching Scheme made a significant contribution to stabilising the lobster spawning stock. This simple but effective measure demonstrates the commitment of industry to mobilise at a local level to implement a Technical Conservation Measure while at the same time facilitating the collection of basic biological data and fisheries data required for management nationally. We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with industry on this next phase of the scheme to ensure the long term viability of this vital inshore fishery is protected".
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BIM is interested in receiving applications from lobster fishermen nationwide to partake in the scheme. For further information, please contact BIM on 01-2144100 or e-mail info@bim.ie.

Extension Of Public Intervention For Butter And Skimmed Milk Powder

Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen expressed delight that pressure from the Irish Government and other EU Member States had led to the European Commission’s decision today to extend public intervention for butter and skimmed milk powder.

“This measure reflects the view at high political level of the continued importance of the dairy sector to the EU and the EC’s commitment to providing as much support as possible to address the current volatile international dairy market situation”, stated Minister of State Killeen. He added: “While prices remain at an unacceptably low level, the Irish Government will continue to mobilise colleagues in the Council of Ministers for their continued support in favour of actions in the dairy market. Such action is absolutely essential to support the Dairy Sector through a difficult period. The Irish Government will continue to highlight the need to use in the most effective way possible all Market Management measures”.

Minister Killeen has also welcomed the decision of the Milk Management Committee to extend the private storage aid scheme for butter from 15th August, when the scheme would normally close, until 28th February 2010. The scheme was introduced in January this year, two months ahead of schedule because of the difficult market situation.

Meanwhile, Minister Killeen said that the Irish Government, principally, through Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith, would continue to press for an increase in export refunds for cheese, butter and skimmed milk powder. “My colleague Minister Smith this week pressed for the removal of impediments to support the export outside the Community of cheese products. In parallel with an increased level of refund, we also need to secure the suspension of the free-at-frontier price so that cheese refunds would actually benefit exporters. The export of quality cheeses from the EU would act as a stimulus to the market and generate much needed demand”, concluded the Clare T.D.

Commission Must Continue To Extend Dairy Market Supports Says Killeen

Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen today said the Irish Government supported European Commission proposals to extend public intervention for butter and skimmed milk powder.

The Clare Deputy was commenting ahead of a meeting in Brussels next week at which Member States will discuss the proposals.

“The measures being proposed by the Commission reflect the view at high political level of the continued importance of the dairy sector to the EU and its willingness to provide as much support as possible to address the current volatile international dairy market situation”, stated Minister of State Killeen.

He added: “While prices remain at an unacceptably low level, the Irish Government, through Minister Brendan Smith, will continue to mobilise colleagues in the Council of Ministers for their continued support in favour of actions in the dairy market. Such action is absolutely essential to support the Dairy Sector through a difficult period. The Irish Government will continue to highlight the need to use in the most effective way possible all Market Management measures”.

Meanwhile, Minister Killeen has welcomed the decision of the Milk Management Committee to extend the private storage aid scheme for butter from 15th August, when the scheme would normally close, until 28th February 2010.

The scheme was introduced in January this year, two months ahead of schedule because of the difficult market situation.

Second Irish Language Scheme Is Published

The availability of public services through the Irish language will be further strengthened over the coming years, according to Minister of State Tony Killeen.

The Clare T.D. made his comments following the publication of the second Irish Language Scheme 2009 – 2012 by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Minister of State Tony Killeen T.D. said the new Scheme builds on and consolidates the commitments in the first Scheme. He explained: “It sets out a commitment on behalf of the Department to develop the extent to which services are currently available through Irish and identifies areas for future enhancement. Under this Scheme the Government will continue to deliver the commitments set out in its first scheme and will build on the progress achieved over the preceding period. I am also pleased that this new Scheme sets out a framework for the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to further develop the extent to which services are currently available to our customers through Irish.”

Minister of State Killeen continued: “This Scheme also takes account of the adoption by Government in December 2006 of the Policy Statement in relation to Irish that sets out a number of key principles for supporting the language; the policy context of the proposed 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language; and the particular mandate that the Department has in respect of supporting the extension and growth in use of the Irish language countrywide, including its maintenance in the Gaeltacht, which is the primary source of the living language.”

In relation to the wider implementation of the Official Languages Act, the Department has worked with partners to develop a range of supports to assist public bodies in meeting their obligations under the Act and in meeting the challenges of delivering on the commitments in their respective Language Schemes. These include:
- a Quality Assurance System for Translators;
- an on-line database of placenames www.logainm.ie;
- development of an Irish Language Translation Memory Resource;
- a glossary of signage and other terms established by Foras na Gaeilge on its website www.gaeilge.ie;
- development of a database of EU and legal terminology in Irish; and
- Freagra, a help-line for the public sector (freagra@acmhainn.ie).

Minister of State Killeen said it is envisaged the Department will continue to make such supports available, as appropriate, in the period ahead.

The Department’s Language Scheme 2009-1012 is available on www.pobail.ie

Every household to receive Lisbon postcard

A postcard explaining the legal guarantees secured by the Government in relation to the Lisbon Treaty is to be sent to every household in the country.

The Government information campaign comes just three months ahead of a controversial second referendum on the treaty planned for early October.

The guarantees in respect of taxation, neutrality and abortion were agreed at June’s EU summit in Brussels and will be incorporated in a series of treaty protocols.

Electric and plumbing firm creates 70 jobs

A Tyrone-based company that provides plumbing and electrical services has announced plans to create 70 jobs in the Leinster region in the coming years.

O'Kane Plumbing and Electrics said the positions will be created during the next three years. It says it plans to upskill prospective employees to ensure full familiarity with the renewable energy sector.

Irish holidaymakers to enjoy reduced mobile roaming charges

Anyone travelling within the European Union can enjoy reduced mobile phone roaming charges from this Wednesday, 1 July.

Making a telephone call, sending a text message or reading emails on a mobile phone from across the European Union will cost less from tomorrow. Businessworld.ie reports that the tariff cuts, which complete a European Union ruling from 2007, were proposed by the EU's executive arm at the end of 2008 and won approval by the European Parliament and member states. Following the new price curbs, which take effect on July 1, it will be up to 60 percent cheaper to send mobile phone text messages while travelling in the EU or to surf the Web by laptop.

Operators will be allowed to charge customers a maximum of 11 euro cents (15 U.S. cents) per roamed text message (SMS), excluding sales tax, compared with current prices of about 28 cents. As of July 1, prices for making a roamed mobile call will be capped at 43 euro cents per minute versus 46 cents previously, and at 19 cents, down from 22 cents, for calls received abroad.

The caps will further fall to 39 cents for calls made and 15 cents for calls received while roaming from July 1, 2010 and to 35 cents and 11 cents from July 1, 2011. Downloading data while roaming will cost a maximum of 1 euro per megabyte from Wednesday at the wholesale level compared with about 1.68 euros today. Operators must also introduce per-second billing after 30 seconds for roamed calls made and from the first second for calls received abroad.

Supermarket deliveries threatened by Kildare protest

Deliveries to Centra and Supervalu stores across the country could be disrupted by a protest being held at distribution centre in County Kildare.

Hundreds of angry farmers have descended on Musgrave distribution centre in Kilcock today in protest at the prices they are being paid for their produce.

The IFA says supermarkets are forcing farmers to sell them milk, meat and vegetables below the cost of production in a move that is putting their livelihoods at risk. Farmers have responded by blocking the entrance to the Musgrave centre, which distributes to Supervalu and Centra outlets around the country.

Junior doctors face longer working weeks

Junior doctors face longer working weeks if a new Labour Court directive is adopted.

The Court has issued a ruling on the working hours of junior doctors, which recommends that their working day and working week should be extended, and which severely limits the opportunity for doctors to earn overtime pay. Junior doctors are currently rostered to work from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 9 am to 4 pm on Friday. Any work they do at night and at weekends is considered overtime, reports irishhealth.com.

The recommendation, if implemented, will lead to major savings for the HSE in junior doctor overtime pay at a time when it is trying to cut payroll costs. The IMO is to meet later this week to discuss the proposal and will ultimately ballot its members on it. In excess of €260 milliion per annum is spent on junior doctor overtime.

In-store tobacco advertising ban to be enforced from tomorrow

A ban on the display and advertising of tobacco in retail stores will come into effect tomorrow.

Tobacco will now be placed in closed plain containers behind the counter.

Vending machines in pubs will be token operated and within the sight of the bar manager, reports RTE.

Bus Eireann cutbacks talks underway

Management and unions at Bus Eireann are today engaged in talks at the Labour Relations Commission in a bid to resolve a dispute over the company's cost-cutting plans.

A planned strike over the €30m cutbacks was deferred last week after the Commission invited both sides to discussions. Bus Eireann wants to shed up to 320 jobs and alter the working conditions of employees.

However, the company has agreed to suspend implementation of the cuts pending the outcome of the latest talks.

Mayor backs speedy opening of Drogheda sports stadium

Talks are underway to reopen a Drogheda sports stadium.

New town mayor Michael O'Dowd has proposed the Lourdes athletics and sport stadium be opened swiftly.

"The first call I made the morning after my election was to Joe Coyle who is one of the most respected individuals in the region when it comes to athletics," the mayor told build.ie.

Minister Killeen Meets EU Commissioner Joe Borg

In a meeting with European Commissioner Joe Borg at today’s Fisheries Council in Luxembourg, Mr. Tony Killeen TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with responsibility for fisheries, outlined for the Commissioner the current issues facing the industry.

Minister Killeen commented: “I highlighted the current problems where we are again seeing rising fuel costs at the same time as the price of fish at the quayside is falling for many of the important stocks including hake and prawns.” He said that the economic viability of the fishing sector had again come into question. The Minister continued: “Ireland would like to put back on the table its submission for an emergency aid package for discussion with the Commission. These proposals, based on a restructuring package for the fishing fleet & involving the provision of additional EU funding are now needed to assist the industry. I asked that in the current circumstances we reconsider the need for an EU funded package of measures. I also asked that the EU Commission ensure that imports of fish into the community respect all appropriate rules & that we do not increase the volume of fish imported at reduced or zero tariff levels.”

Minister Killeen raised issues in relation to the Cod Recovery Plan in the Irish Sea and in the North West. He asked for changes that would maximize the available fishing effort for the Irish fleet by allowing Ireland to choose the reference years to be used to establish the effort for each individual fishery. The Minister also asked for other practical changes to the rules that would help alleviate the impacts on the fleet particularly in the North West and in the Irish Sea.

Killeen Calls On EC To Stimulate Dairy Market

Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen, T.D., has pledged his support to measures being put forward by the Irish Government aimed at securing additional supports for the Dairy Industry.

The Clare Deputy said that the European Commission had been presented with a set of proposals including an extension of closing dates for private storage aid and the removal of the "free at frontier" price for cheese. “The European Commission must continue to support the milk market effectively, and that further support for the Dairy Industry is absolutely essential and urgently needed”, stated Minister of State Killeen.

He continued: “Along with my colleague Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith I urge the EC to consider removing the "free at frontier" price for cheese that is blocking the use of export refunds for certain cheeses. This is a self-imposed technical impediment not warranted in the current circumstances. Furthermore, the EC should consider extending intervention purchases of butter and skimmed milk powder beyond the end of August and extending closing dates for private storage aid.”

Minister of State Killeen stressed the need for the EC to continue to step up efforts to stabilise the situation and stimulate the market.

Undersea telecommunications cable makes land at Portrush

The €30m ‘Project Kelvin’ fibre cable that will link Ireland to 24,000km of undersea cable linking Ireland with the US, Canada and UK came ashore at Portrush yesterday.

The fibre project, supported by €30m in public funding, was brought ashore by Hibernia Atlantic, parent company of Magnet Networks. The telecommunications cable will be connected by high capacity fibre to Letterkenny, Monaghan, Castleblayney, Dundalk and Drogheda, and it will also have points of presence in several locations across the border, reports Silicon Republic.

‘Project Kelvin’ is is a joint cooperation project between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Belfast and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, which is part financed by the EU under the North-South cross-border cooperation programme.

Weekend disruptions for rail users

A security alert on the Belfast to Dublin railway line has disrupted cross-border train services.

Bus transfers between Newry and Dundalk are currently in operation due to the alert.

Meanwhile, rail users are being warned about major disruption to train services at Dublin's Heuston Station this weekend. Bus transfers will be in place for all inter-city routes into and out of the station from 8pm this evening until Sunday night. The closure is due to work on the Kildare Project, which involves the construction of new tracks and stations between Hazelhatch and Dublin.

50 new jobs to be created in Dundalk

French online retail company CDiscount is to set up its regional headquarters for the UK and Ireland at the IDA Business and Technology Park in Dundalk, County Louth.

The decision will create 50 new jobs over the next two years, according to RTE. CDiscount is the online trading arm of Groupe Casino of France, one of the world's largest retailers with global revenues of over €28.7 billion.

Groupe Casino's retail brands include Monoprix, Casino Supermarkets, Libertad, Big C and Leaderprice. It has more than 10,000 stores and operates in Europe, South America, North America and Asia. It employs more than 200,000 people in 15 countries.

Irish Government Seeks Additional Support For Dairy Farmers

The continued weakening of the Irish dairy market has led to increased efforts by the Irish Government to exert pressure on the European Commission to provide every available support to farmers.

That’s according to Junior Agriculture Minister and Clare T.D. Tony Killeen who noted that without such support the current deep crisis in dairy markets would continue to badly affect dairy farmers’ incomes. Minister Killeen said, “Farmers across the EC, and farmers in Ireland in particular, are facing very severe difficulties in making ends meet. Prices are historically low and while the Commission has made every effort to stabilise the situation, there is no real sign that a recovery is in sight. I share my colleague and Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith’s concern that the market continues to show resistance, and price returns to dairy farmers in Ireland are now at levels that threaten the very viability of many farm enterprises”.

Minister Killeen said that the Irish Government has been to the forefront in pressing the Commission since last November for the activation of market measures, with some considerable success. He continued, “The Government will continue to seek further steps that may assist in reversing the downturn and stimulating the market further. This includes prolonging the intervention purchases of butter and skimmed milk powder, and the private storage scheme for butter beyond their normal closing dates in August. I believe that the role that private storage plays in particular, but intervention too, are such that their continuation after the normal end dates will be crucial in evening out the supply/demand curves and preventing further market turbulence at a time when supplies would otherwise hit commercial markets”.

Louth and Galway Tesco stores cut prices

Two further Tesco Ireland stores – at Bettystown in County Louth and Ballinasloe in County Galway – will come in line with the company’s ongoing re-pricing initiative as of today.

Last month, the supermarket giant announced price reductions across 12,000 of its products in eleven of its stores along the border, in a bid to stop shoppers travelling to the North in order to avail of cheaper prices, made possible due to the much lower VAT rate in Britain and the North.

The price cuts which were implemented in the border counties, amounted to as much as 22% in most cases, reports today's Irish Examiner newspaper.

AIB seeks to raise capital

AIB is seeking to raise capital by selling and leasing back seven prominent branches in strategic business locations.

According to businessworld.ie, CB Richard Ellis, who have been given the contract to sell the properties, today said the branches are in Swords, Navan, Dundalk, Monaghan, Kells, Castleblaney and Maynooth. This is part of an ongoing strategy by the Bank to unlock capital for its core business activities since the sale of AIB Bankcentre in Ballsbridge in 2005 and 2006.

Following on from the recent sale of three branches in Dublin, Naas and Mullingar, the Bank is releasing another tranche of its branch network in the form of sale and leaseback investments, CBRE said. All of the branches will be secured by long-term leases to Allied Irish Banks plc for a period of 20 years with a break option in year 15 and the initial rents will be subject to upward only reviews at 5 year intervals.