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.

Road Safety Award For Ireland

Today in Brussels, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey TD accepted the 2010 Road Safety PIN Award, in recognition of the Government's sustained successful strategy in reducing road deaths.

The award is made by the European Transport Safety Council and marks outstanding road safety performance among the 27 EU member states. Road deaths in Ireland were cut by half from 107 per million inhabitants in 2001, to 54 per million inhabitants in 2009, a 41% reduction in 8 years. Ireland is now 7th out of 27 EU member states in road deaths per million and shared the award today with Estonia.

Speaking today, Minister Dempsey said: "I'd like to personally pay tribute to road users in Ireland, for the manner in which they have embraced road safety. It is clear that Government policy and investment has been effective in this area. The work of the RSA and An Garda Siochana has played a major role in making our roads safer and it's true to say that people would not be alive today, were it not for the measures put in place by the RSA and An Garda Siochana."

Ireland's current Road Safety Strategy (2007-2012) set the aim to reduce deaths, injuries and collisions on Irish roads by 30% and to reduce to 60 road deaths per million inhabitants or a maximum of 252 deaths per year. This target has been achieved ahead of time.

The Minister continued: "One of the most important measures introduced in Ireland was the Mandatory Alcohol Testing and tougher penalties for drink driving offences. The Irish Government is committed to lowering the current maximum legal blood alcohol concentration limit and the Road Traffic Bill 2009 is currently before the Oireachtas. Speeding remains a major factor in road deaths and serious injuries in Ireland. A network of speed cameras will become operational across the country from October this year and I hope this will mirror the reduction in overall speed on our roads as it has in other European countries.

The Minister concluded: "I am very pleased to accept this award this afternoon, but will use the opportunity to reiterate an important message I never get tired of repeating. We should never lose sight of the reasons why we continue to invest our time, energy and money into road safety. We want to reduce needless deaths, serious injuries and suffering on families across Ireland - this is the objective that underpins our road safety strategies and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

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.

New Roll Over Protection Systems For Troop Carrying Vehicles

The Minister for Defence Mr Tony Killeen TD was in McKee Barracks this afternoon to introduce the new Roll Over Protection Systems (ROPS) for use in Defence Forces Troop Carrying Vehicles (TCVs).

The system was supplied by a Dublin based company, Transport Component Distributors Ltd from the Long Mile Road in Dublin. The contract involved the fitting of the systems to 50 Defence Forces’ vehicles and the modification of a further 50 vehicles to accept the systems. Future requirements will be the subject of further review later this year.

The contract was valued at €571,000 (incl VAT).

Speaking at the event Minister Killeen said “the safety of our troops is paramount at all times. The provision of the Roll Over Protection Systems is an important step for the Defence Forces given that it has been a top priority for the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces from the health and safety perspective in recent years.” The Minister continued “the provision of the new systems will ensure that all personnel being carried for operational and training purposes on troop carrying vehicles will be afforded a significantly increased level of safety particularly during the occurrence of a sudden impact from a road traffic accident.”

ROPS, which is a relatively recent initiative, consists of compartment structures which are fitted on the back of military trucks to protect troops from injuries caused by vehicle accidents, overturns or rollovers. It is in line with best international practice and is also used by the British Army, the German Forces, the Austrian Forces and the Finnish Forces.

The Defence Forces currently have a fleet of 162 military trucks. The 50 ROPS systems purchased are capable of being fitted to 100 trucks, which can also be used to carry military stores and equipment when not configured for ROPS.

The Minister complimented Transport Component Distributors Ltd on their professional approach to the project and the end product, which will have such an important role to play in the work of the Defence Forces going forward.

Department of Defence Launches Biodiversity Action Plan

The Minister for Defence, Tony Killeen T.D., this week published the Sectoral Biodiversity Action Plan for the Department of Defence.

The United Nations has designated 2010 as International Year of Biodiversity and this is currently National Biodiversity Week.

Action 1 of The National Biodiversity Plan requests “Relevant Government Departments and State agencies to prepare, with stakeholders, their own Biodiversity Action Plans in line with agreed guidelines to ensure and promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.”

Minister Killeen said “I am delighted to publish this plan during National Biodiversity Week. Biodiversity is not just about animals and plants, it is also about the places in which these animals and plants exist and how these places are impacted by humans.”

The Department of Defence’s property and infrastructure portfolio consists of almost 100 sites including 23 permanently occupied military barracks, together with lands comprising about 21,000 acres. The major land holdings include the Curragh, Co. Kildare, Glen of Imaal, Co. Wicklow and Kilworth, Co. Cork.

In administering these large tracts of land the Department acknowledges that there is a requirement to take account of biodiversity issues. By their nature, the elements comprising the larger training lands are wilderness areas that are generally restricted in terms of public access. As a result these areas and the biodiversity contained within them can be maintained and encouraged to flourish whilst balancing the training needs of the Defence Forces.

The targets and actions contained in the Department of Defence’s Sectoral Biodiversity Action Plan are set out in a number of main categories:

• Land Use and Management
• Habitats
• Identification and Monitoring
• General Measures and sustainability
• Managing Biological Data

Minister Killeen said “Military training lands are located in predominantly remote areas with limited access. The level of activity on certain areas of the military training lands has ensured that biodiversity is conserved to a much greater extent than would otherwise be the case. The introduction of this plan, the first by any Government Department, shows the commitment of the Department to a range of issues that would not normally be associated with Defence policy.”

The Plan is available on the Department’s website at www.defence.ie

Killeen Welcomes Resumption Of Irish Pork Exports To China

Clare Fianna Fail T.D. and Minister Tony Killeen has welcomed the decision by the Chinese Government to reopen its market to Irish pigmeat imports.

The former Junior Agriculture Minister said the news would complement ongoing efforts within the Irish Agri Food sector to reach its full growth potential.

Minister Killeen noted that China is already a significant net importer of food and is developing rapidly.

“It is critically important, if the Agri Food sector in Ireland is to reach its full growth potential, that Irish Food Business Operators develop a presence in these markets, and establish the personal contacts at commercial and official level that are so necessary for developing new market opportunities”, he said.

Minister Killeen added: “I would like to congratulate my colleague Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD, who has been instrumental in assuring the Chinese authorities of the enhanced controls now in place in Ireland.”

The announcement marks the end of the interruption to trade that arose in late 2008 and could lead to a €20 million trade boost for the Irish Agri Food sector.

Minister Killeen Welcomes Home Troops From Chad

The Minister for Defence and Mid West T.D. Tony Killeen, accompanied by the Acting Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Major General Dave Ashe, was in Dublin Airport this afternoon to welcome home the final chalk of Irish troops, consisting of 186 personnel from Chad.

A major logistics operation has been underway since the decision was taken to withdraw the main body of Irish troops from the MINURCAT mission.

The majority of Irish owned assets are now centralised in the Chadian capital of N'Djamena, after being transported some 800km across the desert from the Irish base in Goz Beida.

The next phase of the operation will involve an air, road and rail move to get the Irish owned assets the 1500km from N'Djamena to the Cameroonian Capitol of Douala and then onwards to Dublin by ship, a further 9,000km.

Speaking at the Airport, Minister Killeen said “I am delighted to be here to welcome home our troops. I want to express my appreciation to all of the members of the Defence Forces who have served in Chad. I also want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to their families and loved ones, many of whom are here today, for the unheralded role they play in Ireland’s contribution to peacekeeping missions abroad.”

Minister Killeen continued “The operational and logistical challenges faced in Chad cannot be overstated, and the success of the mission was due in large part to the expertise of our logistics and support personnel. This was probably the most difficult mission ever undertaken by the Defence Forces and the manner in which it was deployed and operated is testament to the effectiveness of the modernisation process implemented by the Defence Forces over the past number of years. Participation in the MINURCAT mission has been a continuation of our honourable tradition of supporting the United Nations in the cause of peace and security.”

In summing up, the Minister acknowledged the major role the Defence Forces have played, in contributing to the creation of a safe and secure environment in Chad for refugees and internally displaced persons. “I would like to again emphasise that the decision to withdraw the Irish contingent from the MINURCAT mission does not lessen Ireland’s commitment to the UN but was simply a decision forced on the Government for mainly logistical reasons arising from the delayed UN mandate.” the Minister said.

Killeen Attends Task Force Meeting On Emergency Planning

Mid West T.D. and Minister for Defence, Tony Killeen today chaired his first meeting of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning at the National Emergency Coordination Centre.

The Task Force is the high level group which is made up of the Ministers and/or senior officials of all Government Departments and key public authorities that meets to share information and to assist coordination of emergency planning across Government. There have been a number of incidents in a short space of time, the pork dioxin crisis, the flu pandemic, flooding, snow and ice and the volcanic ash.

This morning the Task Force received an update from the Department of Transport in relation to the management of the volcanic ash situation.

Minister Killeen acknowledged the speedy response of all of the relevant Departments and Agencies to the crisis.

He noted that the National Emergency Coordination Centre was activated and that a Volcanic Ash Task Force was established and met on the day that the situation arose. He also noted that regular coordination meetings that have taken place since then chaired by the Department of Transport, and he said that the updates and briefings provided have helped to keep the public up-to-date and should continue to be managed in a coordinated way.

The Task Force was also briefed on the flooding and severe weather emergencies that occurred in late 2009 and early 2010.

Minister Killeen paid tribute to the Principal Response Agencies, the Defence Forces, Civil Defence, other voluntary groups and local communities who had worked tirelessly to alleviate the worst effects of these events.

He said that, as in all emergency situations, lessons can be learned.

The Minister noted that the relevant Departments and Agencies are carrying out reviews of how they responded to these weather events and he looked forward to considering these at Task Force.

Minister Killeen said: “I would urge all Departments to implement any recommendations arising from their reviews as soon as possible.”

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.

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.

Whispurr introduces Macro-messaging

Whispurr is Ireland's new social networking website.

Launched Friday 12th March at 2.30pm in the Exchequer bar in Dublin. Whispurr (currently over 1,400 users) aims to connect the online world with the world offline via macro-messaging. Macro-messaging is a 300 character message which can be sent online by a real time 'whisp' or via Whispurr's free SMS message service to a mobile phone.

Whispurr premièred it's viral video campaign for the first time at their launch. These videos were created with Jumper Productions and star Sophie Merry, youtube's 'Groovy Dancing Girl', which has received over 7 million views. Videos can be viewed at www.youtube.com/Whispurr2010

Whispurr is hosted on Google's App Engine and the developers work around the clock to churn out new time saving measures to make communication as easy as possible. As a Whispurr member, it is possible not only to send an SMS text message from Whispurr.com for free to a mobile phone but also from your registered email address- this means you do not have to log in to Whispurr.com to enjoy the fruits of its creative team.

When questioned over the rival medium of micro-messaging, Director at Whispurr, Conor Devine professed that with 300 characters you can add more value to your message because you have more words and this in turn can add value to communication as words do not need to be abbreviated to fit in a message.

Devine also said that Privacy is paramount to Whispurr and this will be seen in the up-coming 'networks' feature, which will enhance the security of shared information. The networks feature will encourage users to create different networks for the networks they interact with in the real world and as such each network can be private or public which will protect both content and privacy of members.

As different networks are targeted and correspond with offline networks, the content will be more valuable to members.

Dublin Firm Provides Jobs Boost

Dublin software company Openet is to invest E3.65m in a major research and development programme that will see the creation of 35 new jobs over the next year.

The company currently employs 145 people in Ireland and the 35 new jobs are high-value positions including program managers, engineers and senior software engineers. Recruitment for the positions begins immediately. he investment comes with the assistance and support of Enterprise Ireland.

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.

Killeen Calls For Improvement In Functioning Of Food Chain

Junior Agriculture Minister Tony Killeen, T.D., has stressed the need for a considerable improvement in the functioning of the food chain so that all players, including producers and consumers, receive fair treatment.

The Clare Deputy said the demands of consumers and the marketplace generally were impacting on the investment decisions of producers in the context of environmental and welfare considerations.

“In regard to market transparency, the main concern is the need to achieve a greater balance along the chain between producers, processors and retailers. The need to involve all the stakeholders reflected the integrated nature of the food supply chain and what might be appropriately called the ‘fork-to-farm’ approach, given the increasing influence that the more discerning and demanding consumers are placing on producers and the manner in which producers are responding to the demands of the marketplace”, he added.

Minister of State Killeen continued: “Over recent years, the Department of Agriculture’s policies have driven a change of focus within the agri-food industry from being producer-focused to being consumer-focused. This was a key element of the AgriVision 2015 Strategy and I have no doubt it will feature prominently in the forthcoming 2020 Strategy”.

Killeen Launches Ireland's Proposals On The Reform Of The Common Fisheries Policy

Tony Killeen T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food today launched Ireland's proposals on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Following the launch of the EU Commission's Green Paper on the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, Minister Killeen appointed Dr Noel Cawley to co-ordinate consultation with stakeholders. Dr Cawley organised an extensive consultation process which involved meetings around the coast, an open call for submissions and a Seminar organised by the Federation of Irish Fishermen.

Minister Killeen paid tribute to the Federation of Irish Fishermen and other stakeholders for “their invaluable contribution to the preparation of Ireland's submission on the CFP reform which is strongly informed by the formal submissions received”. He continued: “I found the meetings around the country organised by the FIF critically important in getting a full understanding of fishermen's experience and ideas for change. I also found the seminar organised by the FIF last October was very useful in scoping the issues and bringing forward ideas for change. I also sought and received submissions from a range of other stakeholders both from the fishing industry and elsewhere. I also met separately other stakeholder bodies including the Irish Fishermen's Organisation, the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association, IFA Aquaculture and the Environmental Pillar of Social Partnership."

Ireland's submission on the CFP reform sets down a number of informed recommendations that the Minister believes must be incorporated into the new Common Fisheries Policy.

The changes include:
- New focus on addressing discarding of fish at sea with a complete ban being introduced for stocks in a depleted state;
- The retention of a management system based on national quotas supported by increased flexibility and a rejection of the mandatory privatisation of fish quotas or the introduction of international trading of fish quotas;
- Access to coastal waters to be re-examined with a view to an extension of the coastal limit to 20 miles with new management arrangements in place to strengthen coastal communities dependant on inshore coastal fisheries;
- New measures to strengthen the market for EU producers and increase quay side prices;
- Reinvigoration of European aquaculture with continued structural support and a roadmap that establishes a route for growth in harmony with Community environmental law.
- New regional structure to decision making at EU level with increasing industry responsibility and the development of a culture of compliance.

Minister Killeen continued: "I am satisfied that the changes Ireland is seeking are essential to deliver a seafood industry that is strong, sustainable and profitable and supports fishing and related economic activities in the coastal communities. I believe that these communities must be allowed maintain jobs in the catching, supply and processing sectors in order to prosper. It is not just the activities of the smaller, inshore fleets that support this vital activity but, in Ireland's case, the operation of family owned, locally operated larger boats are the primary mainstay of activity in our fishing ports in many cases."

Minister Killeen has formally sent Ireland's submission to Commissioner Maria Damanaki who has taken over the new Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Directorate. He stated: "I have requested a meeting with Commissioner Damanaki to outline the key elements of Ireland's CFP Review submission and explain the changes that we consider are essential. I have also invited Commissioner Damanaki to visit Ireland to see at first hand the workings of the fishing industry here and perhaps take the opportunity of meeting industry in their own environment."

The report in its entirety and all formal submissions received are available on www.fishingnet.ie.

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.

NCBI Audio Book Club Wins Inaugural Competition

The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) Audio Book Club from County Dublin has been named overall winner of Ireland’s first ‘Book Club of the Year Award’.

Organised by the Ennis Book Club Festival, in association with Clare County Library, the competition attracted dozens of entries from book clubs throughout the country. The Dún Laoghaire-based Audio Book Club will be guests at the 2010 Ennis Book Club Festival from 5th to 7th March in Co Clare.

The three-day festival 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, a professional development workshop for library staff, walking history tours, musical entertainment and chocolate tasting in various venues around Ennis. Among the contributors to the fourth annual festival will be Lionel Shriver, David McWilliams, Joseph O’Connor, Tim Pat Coogan, Diarmaid Ferriter, Paul Howard, Fiona Looney, Thomas Lynch; Claire Kilroy; Joe Duffy, Paul Durcan and Ruth Dudley Edwards.

Commenting on the ‘Book Club of the Year Award’, Frances O’Gorman of the Festival Organising Committee stated: “Entrants to the competition were asked to say why their book club is special. The NCBI Audio Book Club stood out as a deserving winner for a number of reasons. Lots of people cooperated to get it started including Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown library service who facilitate the meetings and supply the club with multiple book copies. The NCBI also provide a cosy meeting space and transport for the participants, who come from diverse backgrounds and had never met before. You would be hard pressed to meet a more enthusiastic, vibrant bunch anywhere. Their commitment ultimately makes it happen.”

Ms O’Gorman continued: “The group is made up of seven participants and includes one honorary member - the infinitely patient Hughie, who lies at Peggy’s feet throughout. Where else would you find a canine Book Club member? The reality is that Peggy could not attend without him, so his role in the Book Club meeting is vital. The Audio books used include prize-winners, bestsellers, classics and wide-ranging genres, all democratically chosen. The members, some avid, some new readers, have embraced this opportunity that some thought was lost forever to them, not just to enjoy books but to discuss in a meaningful way themes and characters, and to have their opinions valued amongst new friends.”

She added that there has been a surge in membership among new and existing book clubs throughout Ireland. “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”, Ms. O’Gorman concluded.

The NCBI Audio Book Club’s winning entry can be viewed at www.ennisbookclubfestival.com.

Déirdre de Búrca Resigns From Green Party In Letter To John Gormley

Déirdre de Búrca has announced that she has resigned from the Green Party and Seanad Éireann with immediate effect.

In a letter of resignation to Green Party leader John Gormley, Ms de Búrca says she 'can no longer support the Green Party in government, as I believe that we have gradually abandoned our political values and our integrity and in many respects have become no more than an extension of the Fianna Fáil party'.

She claims Fianna Fáil is 'running rings' around the Green Party and continues to take advantage of its inexperience, reporst RTE. In the letter she says the Green Party has been 'paralysed' by the rejection of several candidates in the local and European elections last year.

Ms de Búrca stood in the European parliament elections in the Dublin constituency but failed in her bid to get elected.

In the letter Ms de Búrca says she has lost confidence in Mr Gormley. She adds that in his role as leader, he has done a disservice to the party and its members by allowing a 'drift' to occur.

A spokesman for Mr Gormley described Ms de Búrca's decision as disappointing.

He said Green parliamentary party members would meet during the morning to consider the development and the party will respond in due course.

Letter of Resignation from Senator de Búrca to Party Leader John Gormley February 12, 2010
Dear John, I am writing to inform you of my intention to resign from the Green Party Parliamentary Party and from Seanad Eireann with immediate effect. It is with great sadness that I tender my resignation, having served as an elected member of the Green Party for eight years on Wicklow County Council and for a further two and a half years as a member of Seanad Eireann. During that time I have worked faithfully on behalf of the party to try to advance its political agenda in order to put this country on a more sustainable path. I regret to say that I can no longer support the Green Party in government, as I believe that we have gradually abandoned our political values and our integrity and in many respects have become no more than an extension of the Fianna Fail party. I have had a number of conversations with you as Party Leader over many months now about my growing discomfort with the decisions that the Green Party has been supporting in government. You have been very aware of my frustration with the fact that despite the Green Party holding the balance of power in this government for some time now, our willingness to try to exercise that influence appears to grow less with every passing week. As a party, we seem to have been paralysed by the electorate's rejection of many of our candidates (including myself) in the local and European elections last June. Any suggestion that we challenge Fianna Fail, or face it down over important issues, seems to bring up a great fear in us that we will have to leave government. In fact staying in government appears to have become an end in itself now for the Green Party. While I was always aware that our political inexperience as a party would leave us vulnerable to being manipulated by Fianna Fail in government, what I hadn't predicted was the strong attachment to office that appears to have developed since we became part of government. It is with regret also that I must also inform you that I have lost confidence in you as Party Leader. The Parliamentary Party has had almost daily meetings now since well before Christmas at which we have discussed the very real problems we are experiencing in getting Fianna Fail to co-operate with us in implementing policy initiatives that were agreed as part of the original, and the revised Programme for Government. From stonewalling us and trying to unravel key aspects of our policy initiatives being implemented, to ignoring our input into the preparation of new legislation, to reneging on two key agreements made between Party Leaders, the Fianna Fail Party continues to 'run rings' around us and to take advantage of our inexperience and our very obvious fear of facing the electorate. Despite the fact that you have been asked on many occasions over the past few months by the Parliamentary Party to take a stronger line with Brian Cowen and the Fianna Fail party in relation to certain core issues, you have clearly been unable, or unwilling to do so. Unfortunately the effect of this unwillingness to act is that the Green Party has been slowly haemhorraging support because of a growing public perception that we have lost the courage of our convictions and have become no more than an obedient 'add-on' to Fianna Fail. For example, I am aware that you as Minister have a key report in front of you from Dr Niamh Brennan on the issue of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. I'm afraid I lack the confidence that the findings of this report will be acted on in the timely and appropriate manner that the public interest requires. I believe that in your role as Party Leader you have done a disservice to the Green Party and to its members in allowing this 'drift' to occur. It would appear that holding onto office and to seats have become more important to the party than holding on to its fundamental political purpose. We have lost our way as a party and I am sad to say that it has reached a point where I, and most of the people I know, will be unable to vote Green in the next election. I don't take this decision to tender my resignation lightly. I am very clear however that I do not want to be part of what the Green Party is continuing to support in Government.

Major Blaze At Nirvana Head Shop In Dublin's Capel Street

A fire has broken out at a premises on Capel Street in Dublin city centre and the entire street is closed as a result.

The fire at the Nirvana Head Shop broke out this morning reports RTE. Several units of Dublin Fire Brigade and members of An Garda Siochána are at the scene. A small number of nearby homes have been evacuated.

AA Roadwatch said the road will stay closed for most of the morning. However, Luas services are not affected. Visibility on the north quays is poor as a result of the fire.

Pics by Ray O'Donoghue

Energy Sector Event In Dublin

The BER (Building Energy Rating) Assessors Association of Ireland will hold its AGM and a series of workshops on Friday 19th February 2010 in the Red Cow Moran Hotel, Dublin.

Workshops will be hosted by Sustainable Energy Ireland (A review of Technical Documents issued over the course of the year); Drayton (Use of Controls in Energy Efficient Heating Systems); Aeroboard (Application of external insulation to NSAI standards); and systemlink (Interlinking Heating Systems). Information stands will be hosted by FÁS, Flo Gas, Kingspan Insulation, Kingspan Solar, OWL and ecological Building Systems. The workshops are open to members and non-members of the BER Assessors Association of Ireland.

For more on the upcoming AGM and workshops see www.berassoc.ie