Clare Farmers Urged To Consider Nitrates Derogation

Tony Killeen T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has reminded Clare farmers that they should start thinking about whether they need a nitrates derogation for the current year.

The local Deputy said farmers who intend to apply for a derogation must have a fertiliser plan on the farm by 1st March, submit a copy of the fertiliser plan with the application unless an approved REPS 4 plan is in place, apply to the Department for a derogation by the closing date of Wednesday 31st March, and have all their land soil tested at least once every four years.

He noted that the Department is in the process of issuing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Statements for 2009 to the more intensive farmers, which will assist with their decision regarding whether they need a derogation in 2010.

“Intensive grassland farmers are allowed to exceed the general limit of 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year on their farm, up to a limit of 250 kg, provided that they have a derogation in place. Reps 4 participants will also receive a statement regardless of their livestock manure application, as it is a requirement in REPS 4 that the nitrogen and phosphorus details are recorded in their REPS record sheets”, added Minister of State Killeen.

Details of the derogation process are available on the Department website www.agriculture.ie. Applications forms may also be obtained from the local District Veterinary Office or from the Department's Nitrates Section, Johnstown Castle, Wexford.

Compensation Scheme For Clare Growers

Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen T.D. is urging Clare growers whose crops were damaged or destroyed during the recent cold spell to apply for funding under a newly announced compensation scheme.

The local T.D. confirmed today that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has proposed to provide some compensation for damage to potatoes and vegetables caused by frost in January of this year.

The Scheme will provide a limited and targeted financial contribution to certain potato and vegetable growers who suffered significant losses of produce due to frost damage. In accordance with EU State Aid Rules, aid will be confined to actual losses, will be conditional on more than 30 per cent of the crop being destroyed and will be subject to limitations on the level of aid.

According to Minister of State Killeen: “Following a preliminary assessment of the crop losses caused by the very severe frost, the Department is happy to proceed with a limited Scheme aimed at making a contribution to individual growers who, despite good crop management practices, have incurred substantial losses relative to the scale of their farming enterprise. Growers who wish to be considered for financial assistance will be required to complete a Crop Damage Assessment Form”.

Eligibility for assistance will be determined by an analysis on a case by case basis of the information provided by the grower. The objective of the analysis is to establish not only the losses but also the impact of such losses on the grower's overall enterprise. Eligible growers will be required to demonstrate that the potatoes and vegetables were damaged by frost and the extent of that damage.

“I encourage those growers, who are directly affected, to complete and submit the Crop Damage Assessment Form without delay. Only growers who submit the Crop Damage Assessment Form will be considered for compensation under the Scheme”, stated Minister of State Killeen.

Growers wishing to submit information can obtain the Crop Damage Assessment Form from Monday 8 February 2010 on the Department's website www.agriculture.gov.ie, Local Offices, at Teagasc Local Offices and from Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Single Payment Unit, Government Buildings, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Lo-call telephone number: 1890 252118

The deadline for receipt of Crop Damage Assessment Forms is Tuesday 16 February 2010

An Economic Liveline For Ennis Book Club Festival

Radio broadcaster Joe Duffy and leading Irish economist David McWilliams have been added to the line up for the 2010 Ennis Book Club Festival which takes place in the Clare County capital from March 5-7.

Supported by Clare County Library, the three-day programme of events is expected to attract hundreds of Book Club members and book lovers from all over Europe and North America. The Festival programme features author visits, readings, lectures and workshops, exhibitions, walking history tours, musical entertainment and chocolate tasting in various venues around Ennis. It also includes Ireland’s first ‘Book Club of the Year Award’ and a professional development workshop for library staff.

Economist, Broadcaster and Journalist David McWilliams is the author of “The Pope’s Children”, which was the best selling Irish non-fiction book in 2006. His new book “Follow the Money: The Tale of the Merchant of Ennis”, chronicles the story of the dooming of the Celtic Tiger and its aftermath. Mr. McWilliams will read from his latest works as well as participate in a questions and answers session from 10 to 11am in The Temple Gate Hotel Ennis on Saturday 6th March.

Meanwhile, presenter of RTE Radio One’s popular daytime show ‘Liveline’ Joe Duffy will host ’10 Books You Should Read’ with Fiona Looney from 11.30am to 1pm in Glór on Saturday 6th March.

Among the contributors to the fourth annual festival will be Lionel Shriver, prolific journalist and Orange Prize-winning author of ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’ and ‘The Post-Birthday World’; Joseph O’Connor, journalist, screenwriter and author of ten Irish number one bestsellers including ‘Star Of The Sea’, ‘Cowboys and Indians’, ‘Desperadoes’, ‘The Salesman’ and ‘Inishowen’; Tim Pat Coogan, biographer, historian, journalist and writer of “Michael Collins” and ‘Ireland in the Twentieth Century’; Diarmaid Ferriter, author, historian, and university lecturer; Paul Howard, journalist, author and creator of the cult character Ross O'Carroll-Kelly; and Fiona Looney, columnist, playwright, scriptwriter and media personality.

Other participants include multi-award winning poet, Paul Durcan; Irish historian, crime novelist, journalist and broadcaster, Ruth Dudley Edwards; Irish author of ‘Tenderwire’, Claire Kilroy; US essayist, poet, short stories writer, funeral director and winner of the American Book Award and The Heartland Prize for Nonfiction, Thomas Lynch; historian and author of 1916 Rising novel ‘Blood Upon the Rose', Gerry Hunt; American poet Knute Skinner, Irish journalist, columnist and politician, Senator Eoghan Harris; poetry group Clare Three-Legged Stool Poets; editor of Irish magazine ‘Rí-Rá’, Aidan Courtney; Ennis-based graphic novel analyst David O’Leary; and journalist, broadcaster, author and founder of Grow-It-Yourself Ireland, Michael Kelly.

Academic contributors to the festival include Dr. Paul Delaney, School of English at Trinity College, who will lead a discussion on popular writer Colm Tóibín's work; Alan Titley, author, playwright, poet and Professor of Modern Irish and Head of Department at University College Cork; and Niall MacMonagle, reviewer, editor and English teacher at Dublin’s Wesley College, who will present a workshop entitled ‘How to Read a Novel’.

Claire Keegan, award-winning short story writer and author of “Antarctica” and “Walk the Blue Fields” in reading and discussing her writing with join Clare-based author Niall Williams. One of the highlights of the festival weekend will be The Sunday Symposium, during which Tim Pat Coogan, Ruth Dudley Edwards Senator Eoghan Harris and Diarmaid Ferriter will partake in a panel discussion on the subject of “Reading History”. The session will be chaired by experienced broadcaster, journalist and communications consultant, Caimin Jones.

Meanwhile, the Festival is inviting library staff nationwide to a free workshop on how to start, develop and challenge a Book Club. The professional development workshop, which will be presented by Anne Downes of Opening the Book, has been designed specifically for library staff who are interested or involved in book clubs and will cover areas such as managing group dynamics, injecting new life and bringing new ideas to reading groups”.

According to Festival Chairperson Ciana Campbell (available for interview on 00353-872262259) there has been a surge in membership among new and existing book clubs throughout Ireland. She added: “The festival is a wonderful social and literary event that brings together Book Club members, readers and authors from all over Ireland and beyond. This year’s event presents a unique opportunity for all literary enthusiasts to share their joy of reading, to meet authors, to discuss books, and to have a weekend break with friends.”

Ms. Campbell says the significant increase in interest in book clubs is the focus of a questionnaire by the Ennis Book Club Festival Organising Committee. “We are inviting people to complete the questionnaire on our website, which aims to gather information on the scale and nature of book club activity across Ireland”, she commented.

The inaugural Ennis Book Club Festival was held in 2007. Past participants include Patrick McCabe, John Boyne, Carlo Gébler, Edna O’Brien, Joanne Harris, Brian Keenan, Roddy Doyle, Diarmuid Gavin, Hugo Hamilton, Allan Guthrie, Jennifer Johnston, John Connolly, Dermot Bolger, Salley Vickers, Fintan O'Toole, Gerard Donovan, Lorna Landvik, Gerry Adams and the late Nuala O Faolain. Previous festivals have attracted literary enthusiasts from all over North America and Europe, including members from many of Ireland’s 150 Library Book Clubs and more than 300 Private Book Clubs.

Tickets for all events are on sale at Glór Box Office 00353656843103 / boxoffice@glor.ie. Further details on ticket prices and the festival are available from (web) www.ennisbookclubfestival.com, (t) www.twitter.com/ebcf, (e) info@ennisbookclubfestival.com and (t) 087-9723647/085-7758523.