5895 Clare Farmers To Receive Balancing SPS Payments

Tony Killeen T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has confirmed that the Department will commence payment of the 30 per cent balancing payments under the Single Payment Scheme tomorrow (Tuesday 1 December).

The announcement means that 5895 Clare farmers will get 14,098,175 euro worth of payments, which is additional to the 31.5 million euro received since 19 October last.

According to Minister of State Killeen: “Given the circumstances experienced by farmers this year, I am particularly pleased that, in the light of a recent EU Commission decision, the Department was in a position to bring forward advance payments nationally of more than 864 million euro by a full six weeks sooner than is provided for under the rules of the scheme, while the level of advance payment, at 70 per cent, was unprecedented.”

The Clare T.D. has also received confirmation from Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith that he will be requesting the approval of the Dáil this Thursday for a Supplementary Estimate for the Department.

Minister of State Killeen explained: “This Supplementary Estimate would allow the Department to bring forward some 85 million euro in payments under the Farm Waste Management Scheme and the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS), which otherwise would have fallen to be paid in the New Year. If approved, the Department’s spending on REPS will reach a record level of 369 million euro in 2009.”

Caution Advised As Flood Waters Recede In County Limerick

Limerick County Council has welcomed the decision of the ESB to reduce the level of discharges from Parteen Weir.

The local authority stated that while water levels along the Lower River Shannon have receded by 7-10 cm (3-4 inches) since Saturday morning, members of the public are being advised to exercise caution in relation to areas which have been flooded.

ADVICE:
According to Donal Brennan, Senior Engineer, Limerick Council: “All flood water near properties must be treated as being potentially contaminated by sewage. River banks may also have been eroded and persons should avoid walking near flooded river banks. Meanwhile, flood waters may have lifted manholes on roads and may present hazards to pedestrians and motorists.”

Mr. Brennan noted that caution should also be exercised when working on flooded properties.

When entering a property after a flood, always take the following precautions:
- Assume all power lines are live. Check that the power in the property is off before you do anything
- Check for the smell of gas and make sure the lines are turned off
- When entering a room look at the ceiling for any signs of cracks or bulges. Wet plaster is very heavy and can pose a threat to the structure of the property
- Be careful when moving any debris and seek help in moving heavy or unstable items that could trap or crush you
- Be careful when moving around inside the property, standing water can hide a lot of hazards
- Move slowly and carefully when moving around a flooded building
- Remember rat’s urine can cause Weil's disease, so take care not to expose yourself to any water that you believe has been exposed to rats
- Standing water can be a breeding place for micro-organisms which can be released into the air when the water is disturbed. These can be a health hazard if inhaled. Remove all items from the water as soon as possible and wear a protective mask if asthmatic or if you have chest problems.
- Remember that water can be contaminated. Wash your hands with disinfectant if they come into contact with floodwater or silt debris

Further advice is available on www.flooding.ie and www.hse.ie. The relevant website links are also available from Limerick County Council’s website www.lcc.ie.

CLOSURE OF PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE:
Limerick County Council has today closed the pedestrian bridge at Castleconnell arising from concerns over the safety of the bridge structure. The Council has reminded members of the public to respect all road and bridge closure notices that have been erected throughout County Limerick.

BOIL NOTICE:
Meanwhile, a precautionary boil notice affecting approximately 2,000 customers of the South West Regional Water Supply and Feahanagh/Castlemahon Group Water Scheme in County Limerick will remain in place until the middle of next week at least.

Limerick County Council, following consultation with the Health Service Executive, has confirmed that 700 households are affected by the public water notice in areas including Broadford, Dromcolligher, Feohanagh/Castlemahon, Mountplummer, Kilmeedy, Feenagh and surrounding areas. The notice was issued on Friday night after the Council’s Water Services section detected a deterioration in water quality in the South West Regional Water Supply.

Further information for customers in the affected areas is available from www.lcc.ie. Advice is also available from (061) 496326 (9.30am - 4.30pm Monday - Friday) and (061) 419226/ (087) 6295167 (outside of office hours).

De Valera Victory Telegram Put On Public Display

A telegram sent by Eamon de Valera to his wife following his election as MP for Clare has been placed on display at Clare Museum in Ennis.

The document, which confirms the former Irish Taoiseach and President’s 1917 By-election victory over Patrick Lynch of the Irish Party, is being exhibited along with the first Minute book of Clare County Council recorded in April 1899. The exhibits form part of a joint conservation initiative between Clare County Archives and Clare Museum.

Commenting on the newly restored telegram, Museum Curator John Rattigan stated: “The simple message on the telegram belied the importance of de Valera’s victory. It signifies a move away from constitutional to physical force nationalism and the beginning of a political career that would last until de Valera’s retirement as President of Ireland in 1973. In the months following his election victory De Valera was named President of both Sinn Fein and the Irish Volunteers.”

Mr. Rattigan noted that prior to being restored, the telegram was in a state of disintegration and was in an unfit state to be exhibited or handled. “The printed carbon copy on wood pulp paper had become brittle, discoloured and acidic”, he added.

The telegram has been placed on display alongside a comprehensive account of the first meeting of Clare County Council, which was held in the Grand Jury room of Ennis Courthouse on 22 April 1899. During the inaugural meeting Michael A. Scanlon was elected as the first Chairman of Clare County Council.

According to County Archivist Rene Franklin: “It is clear from this Minute book that those present regarded the new Council as a stepping stone to national independence. This nationalist fervour was the spirit behind a series of motions recorded in the minutes and preserved now in Clare County Archives”.

Thomas Blackall proposed the following motion:
‘while accepting the Local Government Act [1898] as a tardy instalment of justice, and while we are determined to work for the benefit of all classes in our country, we hereby declare that we will never relax our efforts in the National cause until we see a native Parliament in College Green’ (CC/MIN/1, 22 April 1899).’

All minute books of Clare County Council are preserved and available for public viewing to the public by contacting Clare County Archives at archives@clarecoco.ie or 065 6846414.

ABOVE IMAGE:
Pictured at the unveiling of the newly restored de Valera Telegram and Clare Council Minutes Book are L-R Deputy Mayor and Ennis Councillor Michael Guilfoyle, Clare County Archivist Rene Franklin and Mayor of Clare Councillor Tony Mulcahy