Friends pedal Shaun's cause

30 friends and work colleagues of a County Donegal man who is currently battling cancer will this week embark on a 350-kilometre charity cycle along Ireland's western seaboard to raise funds for Friend’s of St. Luke’s and Bone Marrow for Leukaemia Trust.

Comhaltas Fleadh Decision A “Huge Disappointment’ For Ennis, says Council

Clare County Council has expressed its “extreme disappointment” at today’s (Saturday, 26 January 2013) announcement by the Ardchomhairle of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann of its decision to name Sligo as the host venue for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2014.

Energy Skills Workshop For Sligo’s Construction Sector

Builders, renovators, contractors and other stakeholders involved in Sligo's construction industry are being invited to participate in a free energy workshop in the Clarion Hotel Sligo on 30 October.

Killeen Welcomes Gort to Tuam Motorway Announcement

Minister for Defence and Clare T.D., Tony Killeen today welcomed the announcement that the preferred tender has been selected for the M17/M18 Gort to Tuam PPP Motorway.

Minister Killeen said the project forms a key part of the Atlantic Corridor and will greatly reduce journey times for traffic along the West coast.

The National Roads Authority confirmed that the BAM Balfour Beatty Consortium is the preferred bidder and they are expected to finalise project acceptance in the coming weeks. It is expected that work on the project will begin early 2011 and be completed by the end of 2014.

Minister Killeen noted that the new motorway will make a considerable difference to those living in Claregalway, Ardrahan, Kilcolgan, Clarinbridge and the other towns and villages that will be bypassed by the road scheme.

He added: “The commencement of work on this motorway project will be welcomed by motorists throughout the west of Ireland as it will bypass numerous traffic bottle necks and vastly improve commuting time for users. The new scheme will be complemented by the N18 Ennis Bypass and soon to be opened Gort-Crusheen Bypass. Once completed, the motorway also will improve connectivity between Dublin and the western region and it will significantly assist in the economic development of Border, Midlands and Western regions.”

M17/M18 PPP Road Scheme Facts:
• M17/M18 Gort to Tuam is part of the
• It is 57 kms long (53km motorway and 4km Tuam Bypass)
• It connects to the M6 motorway east of Oranmore
• It provides a bypass of Tuam at the northern end as well as Ardrahan, Kilcolgan and Clarinbridge in the south
• It acts as a bypass of Claregalway;

The existing N17 extends from Galway City in the south, through Claregalway, Tuam, Claremorris, Charlestown and Tubbercurry to Sligo in the north. The existing N18 extends from Limerick in the south through Ennis, Gort Clarinbridge and Oranmore to Claregalway on the N17 in the north.

The M18 M17 Gort Tuam PPP Scheme forms part of the Atlantic road corridor, as outlined under Transport 21. It will form a strategic component of the national primary route network providing a high quality link between Dublin and the western region. The scheme will run from Gort in the south to Tuam in the north with a major junction with the N6 Galway Dublin route to the east of Galway City.

Killeen Welcomes Gort to Tuam Motorway Announcement

Minister for Defence and Clare T.D., Tony Killeen today welcomed the announcement that the preferred tender has been selected for the M17/M18 Gort to Tuam PPP Motorway.

Minister Killeen said the project forms a key part of the Atlantic Corridor and will greatly reduce journey times for traffic along the West coast.

The National Roads Authority confirmed that the BAM Balfour Beatty Consortium is the preferred bidder and they are expected to finalise project acceptance in the coming weeks. It is expected that work on the project will begin early 2011 and be completed by the end of 2014.

Minister Killeen noted that the new motorway will make a considerable difference to those living in Claregalway, Ardrahan, Kilcolgan, Clarinbridge and the other towns and villages that will be bypassed by the road scheme.

He added: “The commencement of work on this motorway project will be welcomed by motorists throughout the west of Ireland as it will bypass numerous traffic bottle necks and vastly improve commuting time for users. The new scheme will be complemented by the N18 Ennis Bypass and soon to be opened Gort-Crusheen Bypass. Once completed, the motorway also will improve connectivity between Dublin and the western region and it will significantly assist in the economic development of Border, Midlands and Western regions.”

M17/M18 PPP Road Scheme Facts:
• M17/M18 Gort to Tuam is part of the
• It is 57 kms long (53km motorway and 4km Tuam Bypass)
• It connects to the M6 motorway east of Oranmore
• It provides a bypass of Tuam at the northern end as well as Ardrahan, Kilcolgan and Clarinbridge in the south
• It acts as a bypass of Claregalway;

The existing N17 extends from Galway City in the south, through Claregalway, Tuam, Claremorris, Charlestown and Tubbercurry to Sligo in the north. The existing N18 extends from Limerick in the south through Ennis, Gort Clarinbridge and Oranmore to Claregalway on the N17 in the north.

The M18 M17 Gort Tuam PPP Scheme forms part of the Atlantic road corridor, as outlined under Transport 21. It will form a strategic component of the national primary route network providing a high quality link between Dublin and the western region. The scheme will run from Gort in the south to Tuam in the north with a major junction with the N6 Galway Dublin route to the east of Galway City.

New Renewable Energy Project Launched In West Of Ireland

The Minister for Defence Mr Tony Killeen TD today launched the Regional Approaches to Stimulation Local Renewable Energy Solutions Project (RASLRES) on behalf of the Western Development Commission.

The launch took place in the Bunratty Castle Hotel in Clare.

RASLRES is a €3m multi-national European bio-energy project funded by the Northern Periphery Programme which seeks to build awareness of opportunities for rural communities to produce and supply locally produced biomass (wood, seaweed and energy crops) to towns and cities.

Speaking at the launch Minister Killeen said “This exciting project aims to provide business development support to rural biomass communities and will aid development of biomass supply chains through direct business and community engagement. The project has the potential to bring nearly €1 million funding to Ireland’s Western Region over its three year lifetime and support over 50 companies. While some of the other countries are pursuing various other renewable energy areas under this Programme, the WDC is focusing on the wood energy sector.”

The RASLRES project will address current barriers to market growth including low levels of market confidence, insufficient market information and limited technical and business skills, and actively tackle the issues at regional and local level.

The Minister said: “If the Western Region develops a vibrant wood energy sector, it will help stimulate rural development and create jobs. WDC research has shown that the West could develop an indigenous, sustainable, renewable energy resource delivering 11% of the region’s heat needs by 2020. Such growth will require over 470,000 tonnes of wood fuel per year and would also mean an additional €15 million per annum to the economy and create up to 900 additional jobs in rural areas. Importantly, it has the potential to provide €1.7 million each year to the West’s farming sector.”

The jobs created would be spread across the entire supply chain and result in additional activity to the benefit of private forest owners, forest contractors, haulage companies, plumbers, engineers, electrical companies etc.

”The spin off from the additional employment has the potential not only to revitalise many areas that are dealing with the fallout of the current economic climate but also on the green side, our carbon footprint will improve as the estimated CO2 emissions saved annually would equate to taking over 92,000 cars off our roads”, concluded Minister Killeen.

RASLRES is an international partnership which includes:
- Western Development Commission – Ireland
- Action Renewables – Northern Ireland, UK
- Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College – Scotland
- Municipality of Norsjo – Sweden
- Oceanrainforest Ltd – Faroe Islands
- VTT, Technical Research Centre – Finland

Irish CEO's Urge Green Approach To State Procurement Policy

A new coalition of Irish business leaders has issued an open letter urging the government to leverage the State’s €17bn annual procurement spend to develop the green economy.

The CEOs and managing directors of companies including Siemens Ireland, Airtricity, Ecocem, Glen Dimplex and Bord Gais have signed up to ‘Green for Growth,’ a coalition calling for the state to commit to buying greener goods and services to keep Ireland competitive domestically and internationally.

Other signatories include the chief executives and managing directors of Greenstar, Kingspan Renewables, Arup, Pierse Group, Durkan Homes, Wavebob, Gypsum Industries and Isover Ireland.

Coalition spokesperson Jeff Colley claims that tens of thousands of jobs could be created in Ireland if the state adopted a comprehensive green procurement policy: “If the government is serious about job creation and economic recovery, it has to get serious about stimulating green business,” he said. “The €17bn annual state procurement spend, as outlined in the Department of Finance’s submission to An Bord Snip, must be leveraged to develop a world-class market for green products and services in order to assist our economic recovery.”

The call to action by the Green for Growth coalition comes one week before the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government hosts the National Conference on Green Public Procurement, which coincides with the launch of the public consultation on green public procurement guidelines. The policy driving this is the renewed Programme for Government agreed in September 2009 pledges to “put in place new public procurement procedures and guidelines to ensure that green criteria are at the centre of all state procurement.”

Colley, the editor of Construct Ireland magazine and 2010 Green Leader award winner, said that the Irish economy would suffer further if the state failed to keep pace with the greening of procurement policies in Europe and beyond.

“The stakes are tremendously high,” he said. “Countries across the EU and North America are getting ambitious about buying green, so Irish businesses need to upskill quickly in order to compete successfully both at home and in the international markets for green goods and services. If we fail now to implement a robust green procurement policy we run the risk of being one of the least enabled greentech economies, and will forever be reliant on buying in products and expertise from abroad – continuing to haemorrhage money on imports when we should be making money on exports.”

Members of the Green for Growth coalition said they strongly welcomed the proposed initiative to be taken by the government to develop a green public procurement policy. They warned, however, that the policy must be robust and ambitious in order to:

- Ensure that Ireland develops the skills, services and products that we need to compete domestically and in export markets, thereby generating new greentech jobs in manufacturing and services. A robust green procurement policy will ensure the upskilling of Irish companies to sell goods and services into the EU, North America and many other markets where green procurement is already much further advanced than our own.
- Make the Irish economy more resilient and cost-effective, by taking the initiative and forcing reductions in unnecessary consumption of energy, water, mineral and other resources, whilst simultaneously reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, reducing water pollution and protecting eco-systems.
- Make Ireland more attractive in terms of inward investment, by reducing the cost of doing business here and reducing the risk of volatility in the supply and cost of energy, water and other resources along with waste disposal and pollution costs. A company's environmental performance is now a key concern for shareholders – therefore a greener Ireland is a more investable Ireland.
- Reduce the financial burden on the tax payer and consumer, because green procurement is cost-effective procurement. Investments in energy efficiencies, renewable energy and recycled materials can deliver a dividend every year for decades in the form of reduced energy costs, and reduced carbon levies and taxes.
- Promote the highest standards in green design that will cut unnecessary consumption and over-specification. The use of green and recycled materials will achieve significant reductions in the energy and environmental costs associated with manufacturing, processing and transportation of materials, particularly in the construction industry.
- Put Ireland forward as a positive exemplar of sustainable development for the rest of the world, showing that economic recovery and environmental protection are mutually dependent in a world faced with unprecedented resource depletion, pollution and climate change.

“In order to achieve these benefits it is essential that the government delivers truly ambitious and robust green procurement requirements across the public sector. Such requirements must be bold enough to significantly move the market to develop and produce world-class green products and services. If government ambition on the green economy is to be realised, the public sector, with its annual €17 billion purse, must now take the lead and generate the environment in which Irish businesses will be rewarded for green innovation”, concluded Colley.

Members of the ‘Green for Growth’ coalition signed the open letter at a press conference in The Alexander Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2 today.

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.

Long Term Stability For Ireland’s Mackerel Stock

Tony Killeen, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with special responsibility for Forestry, Fisheries and the Marine, has welcomed the conclusion of EU/Norway consultations on fisheries in Brussels yesterday which gives long term stability for the mackerel stock.

Minister Killeen expressed his relief that measures were agreed with Norway on a number of fronts which will put Ireland’s fisheries on a more stable footing for future years. “These talks which are normally complex and cover a number of management issues relating to joint fish stocks, control, setting TAC's and exchanges in fishing opportunities, were further complicated by the irresponsible fishing activities of Iceland on the mackerel stock, demands by the Faroe Islands for more mackerel quota and most importantly a dispute between Norway and the EU on access arrangements for the mackerel fishery”, he stated.

The Minister continued: “In the final analysis reaching agreement hinged on the mackerel issue and I am heartened that as the two largest shareholders of this most important stock, Norway and the EU, now have a common understanding and more importantly a comprehensive 10 year deal on mackerel arrangements. This separate agreement to the normal bi-lateral arrangements on fishing opportunities commences in 2011, and will provide much needed stability and security for our fishermen and processors into the future".

The long-term mackerel arrangement cements relative sharing ratios between the EU and Norway, sets out specific reciprocal access arrangements, deals with areas of control and other key management issues. A separate interim arrangement has been put in place for 2010.

According to Minister of State Killeen: "Economically speaking mackerel is our most important stock and it is imperative that we protect the sustainability of the fishery. This deal will have the added benefit of placing both parties in a position of unified strength before commencing future talks with the Faroe Islands and Iceland on the mackerel fishery With regard to the regular arrangements with Norway on exchanges of fishing opportunities, Ireland benefits little from the transfers of whitefish such as cod, plaice and sole in the North Sea and Arctic cod. Our main imperative therefore is to limit the transfer of pelagic stocks to Norway in exchange (especially Horse Mackerel and Blue Whiting) for Arctic cod. Ireland also contributes significantly to the transfer arrangements with the Faroe Islands for no appreciatiable benefit.”

Minister Killen said "I fought hard at the December Fisheries Council for a recognition of the unfair treatment of Ireland in the transfer process and succeeded in getting the Commission to state in writing to the Council that they would make every effort to limit the negative impact of the exchange, particularly on Ireland. I am happy to say that my efforts have borne fruit and the Commission have made good on their commitment and when considering the Faroes and Norwegian agreements together our overall contribution in Horse Mackerel will be down by nearly 50% with a small drop in our Blue Whiting transfer. There is still further work to be done on this, and I will be seeking a fundamental review of the process as part of the Common Fisheries Policy review".

"I wish to thank the Federation of Irish Fishermen for their valuable advice and support and acknowledge Sean O Donoghue, Chief Executive of the Killybegs Fishermens Organisation, who was in attendance at all the negotiations and was available at all times to advise on the impacts of the proposed arrangements on the Irish fleet. I would also like the thank Commissioner Borg and the Commission officials for honouring the commitment they gave at the December Council. The agreement signed yesterday has been the culmination of an arduous negotiation process with compromises on both sides. I am convinced that the result will put our respective fishing sectors on a sound footing, will heal the strained relationship which has existed in recent months between EU and Norway and most importantly will send a signal to other parties that the EU and Norway are singular in their determination to maintain a sustainable mackerel fishery for future generations", Minister of State Killeen concluded.

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.

Budget 2010 Policy Seeks To Energy Upgrade Every Irish Building

The inclusion in the Irish Government’s Budget for 2010 of the ‘Save as You Pay’ green financing model has been hailed as a visionary decision by the campaigner who introduced the idea.

“Save as You Pay (SAYP) could enable us to energy upgrade virtually every building in Ireland over the next decade, so it is exactly the sort of policy that could help lift us out of recession,” said Jeff Colley, Editor of green building magazine Construct Ireland.

SAYP will enable cash-strapped homeowners and businesses to pay for energy saving measures through fixed repayments on their energy bills over several years.

According to Mr. Colley: “We introduced the idea of paying for energy upgrade work through utility bills over the summer because many people do not have access to savings or credit to get the work done. It was a question of right policy, right place, right time.”

Colley’s campaigning efforts resulted in SAYP being included in the renewed Programme for Government and the Institute of European Affairs Greenprint for a National Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme. He noted: “We have been blown away by the level of public demand for this approach”.

80 per cent of Irish homeowners responding to a Construct Ireland/Amárach Research survey in August said they would be interested in paying for energy upgrade work through their utility bills. 58 per cent of homeowners said they did not have enough money saved to upgrade their home.

“If the majority of Irish homeowners can’t access the money to pay for energy upgrade work, a grant alone will be of limited use,” Colley said. “Even with a grant covering 30 per cent of the cost of a typical upgrade, we have to help people to find the remainder, be it through payments on their energy bills or by adding it to their mortgage”, stated Mr. Colley.

The response from utilities has already been encouraging, with Bord Gáis announcing plans in October to introduce a major energy efficiency home services initiative in 2010, which will offer homeowners a full-scale energy efficiency service with a range of separate products and services through an on-bill finance.

“Save as You Pay can become a major driver in Ireland’s economic recovery,” said Colley. “It will create jobs, reduce our 6bn euro energy import bill, dramatically cut our carbon emissions, and enable all Irish people to have comfortable, healthy homes”, concluded Mr. Colley.

IMAGE: Jeff Colley, Editor, Construct Ireland. Pic by David Ruffles

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.

UAE Market Reopened To Irish EU Beef

Junior Agriculture Minister and Clare T.D., Mr. Tony Killeen has warmly welcomed the decision by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government to lift its 8-year-old ban on the importation of Irish beef.

The Middle Eastern nation imposed the ban in January 2001 as a result of a review of beef controls in a number of EU countries, including Ireland.

Minister of State Killeen said the announcement was hugely significant as the UAE previously was a significant importer of Irish beef. He noted: “In the year preceding the ban, exports of Irish beef to the UAE amounted to over 5,200 tonnes and were valued at almost 8.3 million euro. The market is being re-opened to Irish beef under 30 months, and will provide another potentially important outlet for Irish beef.”

Minister of State Killeen added: “The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, together with Bord Bia and the Department of Foreign Affairs, has been working vigorously to regain access to this important market. The re-opening of the market is recognition that the production of beef in Ireland is subject to extremely rigorous controls and reflects the importance we place on high standards for food safety.”

Department Of Health Confirms Tenth Swine Flu Related Death

A woman in the south has become the tenth person to die from human swine flu in the Republic of Ireland.

The Department of Health and the HSE confirmed this evening that the woman died from the H1N1 virus reportS RTE. The woman had an underlying health condition, but the department have not released any further details relating to her death.

Minister for Health Mary Harney has offered her sympathy to the family and friends of the woman.

Major EU And International Fisheries Negotiations Take Place In Clonakilty

Tony Killeen T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food welcomed the commencement of major international coastal states fisheries talks at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food offices in Clonakilty today.

Discussions, which will continue until Friday, will aim to agree the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of mackerel for 2010. The TAC for 2009 amounted to over 600,000 tonnes. The meeting involves the European Commission, Swedish Presidency of the European Council, a delegation of 12 from Norway and the Faroe Islands, and a range of interested EU Member States including Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Poland, Germany and Ireland. The meeting will determine arrangements between the European Union, Norway and the Faroe Islands for the management of the almost three million tonne mackerel stock in the North East Atlantic.

Minister of State Killeen said he was pleased that the Clonakilty offices of the Department were hosting the negotiations, which is the first time such important international fisheries negotiations have been hosted in Ireland.

“This meeting will set not just the international TAC for 2010 but will critically also agree the access and other arrangements for the fishery. Mackerel is very important for the Irish fishing sector and this year the value of the catch for Irish fishermen is expected to be over EUR60 million”, stated Minister of State Killeen. He added: “The fishery is in addition worth a similar amount to our seafood processing industry in Donegal and along the western seaboard and provides significant seasonal employment in Donegal, Galway, Kerry and Cork. I wish all concerned best wishes for success at these negotiations so that we can be assured of good management and a sustainable fishery for 2010.”

Killeen Presents 2009 Irish Forestry Awards

Mr. Tony Killeen TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with responsibility for forestry, presented the 2009 RDS/Forest Service Irish Forestry Awards at a ceremony held in Kilkenny Castle last night.

The Awards recognise and reward farmer foresters and other forest owners who employ the basic principles of Sustainable Forest Management on their properties, including sound commercial management, environmental protection, biodiversity and social amenity. There are two main categories for which awards are presented - the Farm Forestry category and the Bio-Diverse Forest/Woodlands category. There is also a Special Judge's award, which may be made, at the discretion of the judging panel, in recognition of outstanding achievements by individuals within the industry.

The winner of the Farm Forestry category in 2009 was Mr. John O'Connell, Limerick with 2nd place going to Mr. Sean Ronan, Kilkenny and a Merit Award in this category going to Mr. Ambrose Kilcline, Co. Roscommon. Kerry County Council were the winners in the Bio-diverse Forest/Woodland category. 2nd place was awarded to Declan and Yvonne Foley of Sligo, while Merit Awards were presented to Mr. Derek Felton, Dublin and Mr. Vincent Slevin, Mayo. A Special Judges Award was made to Jan Alexander of Cavan, in recognition of the "close to nature methods" that are being applied to her plantation and also because of her contribution to Irish forestry over the years. Jan is chairperson of Pro Silva Ireland and a founding member of CRANN.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of State Killeen thanked the RDS for its organisation and promotion of the prestigious awards scheme, in partnership with the Department. He noted that the profile of the awards had increased within the forest industry, since they were first awarded 22 years ago.

Minister of State Killeen highlighted the ongoing and increasing importance of forestry and the need to raise the general awareness of the importance of the sustainable management of Ireland’s forests from a commercial, social and environmental point of view. Presenting the Awards, the Minister of State added: "I would like to congratulate the category winners and hope that the acknowledgement and reward of excellence through these Awards will continue to create awareness of what is required to manage our forests to the highest standards possible and indeed the high standards that can be achieved".

Slow Start At Polls In Lisbon Treaty Referendum

More than 3m people are eligible to vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum today.

Polling stations around Ireland opened at 7am. They will close tonight at 10pm. Several polling stations in Sligo are reporting a very slow start to voting - just 14 people out of 650 had voted in one booth by 9am in Tubbercurry reports RTE News.

Turnout in Cork city is estimated at around 5% so far. In Co Kerry, the turnout in urban polling stations in Tralee and Killarney is estimated to be also at 5%.

People who have not received their polling cards are still entitled to vote once their name is on the electoral register and they have proof of identity.

Ganley Calls Lisbon Referendum Undemocratic

Libertas founder and former Northwest Constituency European Election candidate Declan Ganley has said next month's referendum on the Lisbon Treaty is 'profoundly undemocratic'.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mr Ganley said the electorate was being asked to vote again on exactly the same treaty. He dismissed suggestions that a No vote would hurt the economy and said the only people voters risked annoying were 'a bunch of unelected bureaucrats' reports RTE. 'The Irish people had a vote on the Lisbon Treaty. They voted No. A higher percentage of the electorate voted no than voted for Barack Obama in the United States of America. No one's suggesting he should run for re-election next month.'

Last June, Mr Ganley failed to win a seat in the European Parliament in the Ireland North West constituency.