The EPA announces funding of €14.5m for new environmental and climate research across open themes, focusing on medium- to longer-term environmental research needs.
Research proposals are invited for research across the following areas:
Addressing Climate Change Evidence Needs
Delivering a Healthy Environment
Facilitating a Green and Circular Economy
Protecting and Restoring our Natural Environment
Funding high quality environmental research is essential to support policy development as well as building capacity within the environmental research community in Ireland.
Successful researchers will work closely with policy makers to ensure that the research is impactful and effectively informs environmental policy in Ireland.
Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced research funding of up to €14.5 million for new environmental research. The EPA is inviting proposals from the research community for innovative projects to support the development and implementation of environmental policies in Ireland.
Announcing the EPA funding call, Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment said, “The EPA is committed to funding excellent research to address knowledge gaps, build capacity and provide robust evidence to support the implementation of effective environmental policies in Ireland. We have recently announced an increase in the PhD stipend to €25,000 for EPA-funded students and now invite research proposals across a range of open themes focusing on funding medium- to longer-term research. In 2023, 40 per cent of awardees had not previously applied to the EPA for funding and we hope to see this trend continue in 2024.”
Areas of research include exploring global risks to Ireland achieving its climate and environmental goals; understanding vulnerabilities to climate change at a local level including climate attribution science related to extreme weather events in Ireland; how to accelerate our transition to a circular economy; the impact of a changing climate on our health; and how we can consider benefits to both nature and the economy in decision-making.
Dr Darragh O’Neill, EPA Research Manager, said, “Building on last year’s call, which included a number of broad research themes and attracted a large proportion of new applicants, we are pleased to extend this approach in the EPA Research Call 2024. The call invites applications across a wider range and larger number of thematic areas, with funding available for up to four years in most of these areas. Recognising the environmental, economic and societal challenges associated with the green transition, we particularly encourage applicants to consider inter- and transdisciplinary projects with contributions from diverse research disciplines and sectors.”
The EPA Research Programme is a Government of Ireland initiative funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Under this year’s call, the EPA is delighted to be partnering with Met Éireann to co-fund projects in areas of mutual interest.
The people of Thurles have long learned not to trust locally elected councillors or elected politicians, when their lips move.
Further proof, if proof was ever in doubt, was the statement published on the Facebook page of Councillor Mr Sean Ryan, dated March 28th last 2024. View HERE. (Note: Cllr Ryan has a habit of removing comments, especially from me; from his social media pages, so this statement of his may also vanish.)
Mr Ryan had stated that, quote, “Temporary repair work will commence on Kickham St. in Thurles, on Thursday April 4th & Friday April 5th. The major scheme for Kickham St. will commence in the summer.”
The people of Kickham Street, Thurles waited all day, today April 4th, and as expected, the potholes in the road surface got deeper and the gravel and muck from previous weeks of patching, continued to hop of the front window of my home, same encouraged courtesy of failings by town engineer Mr Thomas Duffy, in what I refer to as the (view link)“Duffy Pothole Solution.”
Damage caused by the ‘Thomas Duffy Road Surface Solution’ of pothole drainage. Pic. G. Willoughby.
I had fairly pointed out, on Cllr. Ryan’s Facebook page, that an email received by me from Ms Sharon Scully, (TMD administrator), contradicted his timeline of work scheduled for the busiest road in Thurles town, which had been initially highlighted continuously over the past 3 years.
Ms Scully’s email [dated Wed, 27th March, 18:46] read: “I can confirm that I have been to Kickham Street many times including over the last number of days and weeks. I can further confirm that the construction phase for the N75 Liberty Square to Anner Hotel scheme in Thurles is scheduled to take place between August and December of the current year. Temporary patching of the road will continue until this permanent work can take place.
Regards, Sharon Scully.
20.32 centimeters (8 inch) deep crater normally filled twice weekly on Kickham Street, Thurles. Pic. G. Willoughby.
Ms Scully’s reply, having visited Kickham Street, as she stated ‘many times’, further is proof that this county, at least, is governed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland and not by Tipperary Co. Council officials or local Councillors.
I had also pointed out that Cllr. Ryan was involved in an advanced form of electioneering with local elections scheduled on the immediate horizon. (Pictures sent and my comment were removed by Cllr. Ryan in case Mr Micheál Martin might refer to his Facebook.)
Road surface today on Kickham Street, Thurles, (April 4th, 2024.) Pic. G. Willoughby.
Yes, An Tánaiste Mr Micheál Martin was in Two-Mile-Borris yesterday, canvassing. He later dropped into the Arch Bar in Liberty Square, Thurles. Those rubbing of his suit jacket, included TD Mr Jackie Cahill, Cllr. Sean Ryan and European candidate Ms Cynthia Ni Murchu. (His arrival was unannounced.)
I am convinced his formal procession, latter riding in motor vehicles, entered Thurles via Mitchel Street, for surely Mr Martin would have asked why the road surface on Kickham Street, was in such a 3rd world condition entering a town.
I await my request, sent some weeks ago, on how to appeal against property tax payments made over the past 3 years, same request having been sent to the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Mr Eamon Ryan, (eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie), and the Minister for Finance, Mr Michael McGrath, (michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie).
I notice TD’s within the present government set themselves above replying to requests made by those who elected them.
Is An Tánaiste, Mr Micheál Martin fully aware that the name Fianna Fáil will most likely vanish within Co. Tipperary over the period of the next 3 elections, [Local, European, and General], due to total political indifference, shown by elected representatives of his political party.
Meanwhile, with regards ‘Temporary patching‘, the waste by Tipperary Co. Council continues.
WEEE Ireland, in conjunction with the German multinational family-owned discount supermarket Aldi will host free e-waste collection days across the eight major towns in Co. Tipperary, including Thurles, Roscrea, Nenagh, Cashel, Cahir, Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel and Tipperary Town.
Co. Tipperary householders are being urged to bring their batteries, electrical, and electronic waste to a set of free collection days, to help Tipperary meet its national e-waste recycling targets for 2024.
WEEE Ireland dates for all collection venues together with Addresses and Eircodes are as follows:-
Remember: Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled for free on the day, including old washing machines, TVs, toasters and kettles, electronic tools and toys, cables, IT equipment, mobile phones, remote controls, batteries, including farm fence batteries, and even watches.
In 2022, the equivalent of 216,157 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided by recycling e-waste through the WEEE Ireland Scheme as opposed to same being sent to landfill. Same is equivalent to the annual carbon consumption of some 4,323 hectares of trees.
Odour and Noise Complaints accounted for 90% of all complaints to the EPA in 2023.
The EPA carried out over 1,200 inspections at 535 licensed industrial and waste facilities. 91% of these were unannounced.
The Licence & Enforcement Access Portal (LEAP) launched in 2023 giving the public enhanced access to environmental information.
The EPA identified 11 sites as National Priority Sites for enforcement in 2023. Most were in the food and drink sector (five sites) and waste sector (three sites).
Enforcement activities by the EPA have resulted in a decrease in complaints, down 36% from 2021. Odour and Noise Complaints accounted for 90% of all complaints received by the EPA in 2023.
22 prosecutions were concluded in 2023 resulting in fines of €137,750 and costs of €245,047 being imposed.
2023 saw the first successful District Court Prosecution for the extraction of peat without a licence from the EPA.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its Industrial and Waste Licence Enforcement Summary 2023. The report gives details of enforcement activities across the 889 licensed facilities in 2023.
In 2023, the EPA carried out over 1,200 inspections at 535 licensed industrial and waste facilities. Of these, 91% were unannounced. Enforcement action by the EPA has resulted in a decrease in complaints to the EPA about these sites, down 36% from 2021 from 1490 to 960. Odour and Noise complaints remained the most common in 2023, accounting for 90% of all complaints received.
Commenting on the report, Dr Tom Ryan, (Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement) said: “The increased focus on the improvement of odour and noise management at EPA licensed sites has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of complaints received. The EPA will maintain a focus on nuisance arising from licensed sites and will take enforcement action, where appropriate. The launch of the Licence & Enforcement Access Portal (LEAP) has transformed the way in which the public can access environmental information concerning licensed sites with already almost 100,000 page views in 2023. 2023 saw the first successful District Court Prosecution for the extraction of peat without a licence from the EPA, and 22 prosecutions were completed last year.”
The EPAs National Priority Sites List is another important tool assisting the EPA in targeting its enforcement effort at the licensed operators with the poorest environmental performance. This helps drive improvements in environmental compliance. Since its launch in 2017, fifty sites have been identified as National Priority Sites, with 11 sites on the list in 2023. These were mostly in the food and drink sector (5 sites) and waste sector (3 sites). Industrial and waste compliance information and further details of the National Priority Sites scoring system and the list of sites can be found online.
Enforcement information on all sites can be found on the Licence & Enforcement Access Portal (LEAP) LEAP Online (epa.ie) Complaints about licensed sites can be made on-line or by contacting the EPA at Tel: 053-9160600.
Thurles.Info’s‘eye in the sky’ sent back some rather disturbing images this morning. The first issue was the wanton destruction, by some ‘uncouth barbarians’, of public bench-seating, situated in the Cabragh-Ballycurrane area, close to the now redundant old Sugar Factory and closer still to the Thurles Top Oil Depot, on Route 659, south west of Thurles town.
Over this St Patrick’s weekend, vandals struck, severely damaging community seating, which had a wheelchair accessible plinth (rectangular block base).
Public bench-seating in Thurles destroyed in an act of vandalism.
As locals are probably aware, this facility, over the years, was been widely used by both young, old and infirmed, e.g. those attending the Thurles Rehab Care Resource Centre, and in more recent times the Ukrainian Refugees, based at the old Sugar Factory, on Cabra Road.
This bench-seating plinth, was put in place, and paid for, some years ago by the local residents association in conjunction with Thurles Lions Club. This weekend was the first time that it was vandalised and sprayed with paint.
Hopefully our local authority will see the benefit in rushing out, to undertake necessary repairs to this community seating.
Another Bent Post.
Our second image demonstrates a failure brought about, once again, by Tipperary Co. Council’s failure to employ qualified engineers. The picture, immediately above, shows yet another bent signpost, adding to the very large number of other bent and misleading signposts, stretched right across the town, being ignored for years.
Sadly, this act carried out at 10:45 Greenwich Mean Time, this morning, will, I greatly fear, put an end to any hope of our 5 awards, as promised.
Yet Another Three Day, Single, Crater Filling, Exercise.
As you can see from the image above, our ‘Eye in the Sky’ caught a glimps of a JCB attempting, for the second time in just 6 days, to fill the same single pothole on Kickham Street, Dublin Road, Thurles. Thankfully, none of the other 48 craters were filled in, so I suppose we should be grateful to the town’s Administrator, her local Engineer and the Chief Executive of the County Council.
One nearby neighbour, in an effort to remove my frustration and my down cast fizzog, said that the new crater filling, put in place this morning, should be gone again, over the next two days, and hopefully long before the adjudicators reach their expected final decisions. (So least said in case judges are out and about). Luckily the JCB operator left the filling to exiting traffic, to put pressure on the craters filling, in the knowledge that he would be back again on Friday or Monday, at the latest.
It’s a funny country, our little Ireland; we give out about the cost of medical health issues and funds spent by the HSE, yet we ignore, completely, the sheer waste of taxpayer money spent at Local Government and Municipal District Council level.
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