The quality of drinking water in private supplies is not as good as it should be – according to the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA’s) “Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies”, 2020 report.
95% of private group water schemes and 96% of small private supplies complied with E.coli standards.
93% of Private Group Schemes complied with the Trihalomethanes standard.
Over one quarter of Small Private Supplies were NOT monitored by Local Authorities.
The EPA today released the “Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies” 2020 report. Drinking water is provided by over 380 group water schemes to approx. 200,000 people across rural communities. Over 1,700 small private supplies (premises like hotels, pubs and restaurants, crèches, nursing homes and national schools) also provide water to staff, customers and service users on a daily basis.
Meeting E.coli standards is a basic requirement of safe drinking water. In 2020, twenty of the 380 private group schemes (serving more than 2,900 people), and 49 of the 1,225 small private supplies monitored, were found to have E.coli contamination. These failures, at 1 in 20 private water supplies, are of significant concern and put the health of the consumer at risk.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Dr Tom Ryan, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, said: “Consumers should expect, as a minimum, that their water is safe to drink. However, compliance with the E.coli standard is not as good as it should be for water from private group water schemes and small private supplies. It is essential that works to improve water quality are carried out as soon as possible to eliminate the serious risks to people’s health. Water suppliers are obliged to make sure drinking water is clean and wholesome for consumers.”
Trihalomethanes (THM) are a by-product of the chlorine disinfection process and are formed where there is an excess of organic matter in the water source. Water suppliers should keep THM levels within the drinking water standards to avoid any possible health impacts from long term exposure. Twenty-two private group schemes (7%) failed to meet the standard for THM, including seven schemes that the European Commission has identified as being of particular concern.
480 (28%) of the 1,715 small private supplies registered were not monitored. The report also shows that over one quarter of small private supplies, serving food businesses, nursing homes, crèches and B&Bs, were not monitored in 2020.
Mr Noel Byrne, Programme Manager of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, said: “We recognise that, in many cases, the failure to monitor these premises was due to difficulties in accessing premises during Covid-19 restrictions. However, it is vitally important that Local Authorities ensure all water supplies are monitored annually to provide assurance to consumers that their drinking water is safe”.
To address failures in drinking water quality due to deficiencies in infrastructure, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage makes funding available through the Multi Annual Rural Water Programme. Upgrade works should be progressed without delay at those Private Group Water Schemes, which have identified as a priority in order to improve the drinking water quality of these supplies.
The report is available on the EPA website. View Here
Further information: Ms Emily Williamson, (EPA Media Relations Office)Tel: 053-9170770(24 hours) or media@epa.ie.
While the St. Patrick’s Day annual parade here in Thurles has been called off, due to a lack of interest by the controlling organisers; the Irish Government are planning at least 33 high level visits next month, on March 17th, in an attempt to bring Christianity to those heathens abroad.
Those Ministers travelling abroad will be carrying three leaved Shamrock, to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit), to the pagans and warmongers, they expect to run into; their travel expences paid in full at the Irish taxpayers expense.
As a taxpayer continuously over a period of some 60 years, to be totally honest, I don’t mind contributing to the vast sums of money spent by Irish TD’s, as they make plans to go flying, with their entourage of loyal courtiers, to all over the world, for St. Patrick’s Day, 2022.
What I do strongly object to, however, in some cases, is paying for their return tickets, if you get my meaning.
We learn from press reports, over the past week, that An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin will visit London the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, before visiting Washington on St. Patrick’s Day; as the annual excuse for ‘Patron Saint visits’ takes off fully, for the first time, since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. Last year, 2021, US President, Mr Joe Biden and An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin met virtually on St. Patrick’s Day. This St. Patrick’s day same can now touch elbows, as sanitised crystal bowls change hands and both men declare their undying love for liberty, democracy, free speech and each other.
An Tánaiste, Mr Leo Varadkar will be heading supposedly to South America, visiting Columbia and Chile. [Note to Customs, check all diplomatic bags and other luggage on arrival back in Dublin, just to be sure.] Green Party Leader, Mr Eamon Ryan will for a couple of days, be ignoring a considerable chunk of his carbon footprint, as he visits in New York. Minister for Finance, Mr Paschal Donohoe is set to travel to London and the Netherlands. Minister for Public Expenditure, Mr Michael McGrath will go to San Francisco, the cultural, commercial and financial centre in the U.S. state of California; before moving on to the bustling west coast seaport of Vancouver, in lower British Columbia, latter on the westmost coast of Canada. Minister for Children, Mr Roderic O’Gorman will travel to Philadelphia and New York. ‘Teacher’s Pet’, Minister for Education, Ms Norma Foley will be visiting “A place you all know well”, as the ballad states, namely Boston, populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. Minister for Higher Education, Mr Simon Harris will visit France. Minister for Children, Mr Roderic O’Gorman will travel to Philadelphia and New York. Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee will visit Savannah, in the state of Georgia; the county seat of Chatham County. Minister for Health, Mr Stephen Donnelly will travel to Austin, the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. Chief whip, Mr Jack Chambers will head to Los Angeles. Attorney General, Mr Paul Gallagher is set to travel to Washington. Minister for Arts, Ms Catherine Martin will travel to Argentina. Minister of State, Mr Colm Brophy will visit Mexico. Minister of State, Ms Pippa Hackett will visit Greece. Minister of State, Mr Thomas Byrne will head for Italy. Minister of State, Mr Patrick O’Donovan will go to the “Windy City”, Chicago on Lake Michigan, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois.
Despite an open invitation, there were no Ministers willing to take on the greening of Wuhan, that sprawling capital of Central China’s Hubei province; for some unknown reason to this author, but sure all is not lost yet, for it is believed that there will also be a number of other Ministerial visits not yet decided.
No, I’m not jealous. Me, I’m just wondering will there be anyone left to mind the shop.
Firstly, I should state if you do not have a bird nesting box in your garden, there are some handmade, beautiful designed, boxes with required correct dimensions, currently available at O’Driscolls Garden Centre on the Mill Road here in Thurles, all at very affordable prices.
Rear opening entrance to Blue Tit nesting box
For those of you who already possess a nesting box, it’s time again, to clean out and maintained same, to ensure tenants for this coming Spring and Summer.
Old nests should be removed in the autumn or winter, preferably from October onwards, once parents and their brood have moved out of their home.
Birds, particularly Blue Tits, start early in their hunt for social housing. The site appears most often to be chosen by the wife, with the interior and entrance having been measured by the husband, using his wings as a tape measure. Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) love artificial nest-boxes and are probably the most common occupiers of same here in the Irish Republic.
The female of the Blue Tit species will build her nest alone, with her mate following her around to make sure that no other males make contact with her. This stated, it is estimated that over 40% of Blue Tit nests will contain at least one hatched chick that is possibly being reared by a male that is not its father.
Later, the male will feed the female, while she remains nesting and youngsters will leave the nest around three weeks after hatching occurs.
The old nests built by most birds can harbour nasty parasites, so once last year’s nest has been removed from the box, use boiling water to rid same of parasites. Let the box dry out thoroughly, before replacing the lid or back portion.
Remember parasites that remain can infest young birds that hatch the following year, so do scald the box out well and avoid, totally, the use of any form of disinfectant, soap solution, insecticide or parasite powder.
Try to avoid cleaning out your nest box in September, thus ensuring the nest is no longer active, as some species can nest right through until the end of September, each year.
The box shown here possibly because of its positioning; remaining clear of animals or destructive humans, has raised, over a 3 year period, 4 families of blue tits numbering in all 42; from a total of 42 eggs.
Where To Erect A Bird Nesting Box.
Correctly built nesting boxes are best constructed from untreated timber. Boxes for tits should be fixed at least two metres high (6ft) on a tree or a wall. Remember, if attached to a tree use soft cable ties rather than nails to secure your nesting box.
The success of the box, shown herewith, is the fact that it is partly hidden by overhanging vegetation, thus allowing the bird to vanish into overhanging ivy branches before accessing the box itself. While experts state that nesting boxes should face between north and east in direction, thus avoiding strong sunlight, driving summer rain and wind; this box faces south protected and shaded by the overhanging ivy, with no complaints from Blue Tit tenants.
Pleasing everyone is just impossible, but pissing everyone off, I find, is a piece of cake, and so I go diligently to work.
Motorists will agree that, with increased traffic on our roads and streets, there are hazards everywhere, specifically in towns and other built up areas. To this end warning road signs are normally put in place to avoid and reduce driving risks to an acceptable level, thus circumventing serious accidents. Well that is accepted normally; except in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
As in places of employment; were there to be a Health and Safety Authority investigation undertaken presently, on the town of Thurles, our whole unit would be immediately shutdown for weeks.
The video hereunder, valued readers, is not in any way fabricated, so if you are out walking this sunny eve, “eyes to the fore please” and observe for yourself the facts, while contemplating the question, “Why should I be forced to Pay Property Tax?”
Questions: (1) Have the local Garda Authority or the Thurles Garda Roads Policing Unit, raised the issue of the Council failing to provide adequate signage at their monthly meetings, attended by elected councillors? (2) Have Driving Instructors reported this issue to local Council officials on behalf of their students? (3) What do Driving Instructors say to their pupils, when explaining why necessary warning ‘STOP’ signs, for over 6 months, are facing in the wrong direction – or totally absent – or indeed never erected at all, e.g. both ends of the Ikerrin Road in Thurles? (4) Then there are the Driving Test Inspectors; have they contacted the Thurles Municipal District Council Office regarding this utter neglect of signage, noticed when testing learner drivers? (5) We live in a town, possibly one of the few towns in Ireland, where there exist two elected, powerless and resident TD’s; namely Mr Jackie Cahill and Mr Michael Lowry. Both TD’s appear to coexist with five elected Councillors, namely, Mr Séamus Hanafin, Mr Micheál Lowry, Ms Peggy Ryan, Mr Jim Ryan and Mr Seán Ryan. To the latter named, “What do you intend to do to protect passing motorists not familiar with our Thurles medieval streetscape, promoted by council engineers?”.
All aforementioned appear to have no shame when it comes to denying truth, defending lies, and demonstrating only a modicum of principle.
Shame is nothing more than denial of the truth andI now ask why are you all failing to protect Thurles, the area you all promised to serve, prior to you being elected.
Note, all the aforementioned elected officials reside within the postal district of Thurles. All preside over a rural town seriously neglected and decaying at warp speed; all for the want of someone skilled in the use of a sweeping brush and a spanner.
This attached video link has been forwarded by email to Mr Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive, Tipperary Co. Council, (macgrath@tipperarycoco.ie), and to Ms Sharon Scully, Thurles District Administrator, (sharon.scully@tipperarycoco.ie). We have asked both individuals to explain this wanton neglect and permitted destruction of Thurles, “A Town that I Love so Well”.
As readers are already aware, local TD’s and locally elected councillors do not read or reply to correspondence, only when threatened by the Standards In Public Office Commission. We have therefore decided to not disturb their daily idleness.
Elected representatives and local officials, please make an effort to earn your generous salaries, paid for by the taxpayer.
Mr John Corcoran, aged 63, with an address at Fawnlough, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary; latter an ESB engineer who was tossed into the air by a rutting stag, while in the area of Cnoc Na Coille Duibhe, latter a remote hill north west of Templemore, Co. Tipperary, (back in September 2016), has settled his action taken against his employers; latter the commercial semi-state concern known as ESB.
The case taken by Mr Corcoran had been adjourned, after he had to attend hospital, having suffered a serious asthma attack while in the courts witness box, earlier this week.
Mr Justice Paul Coffey was informed today that the case had now been settled, in addition to another case also brought by Mr Corcoran against the ESB, in relation to alleged exposure to asbestos.
We understand that the terms of Mr Corcoran agreed settlement are to remain confidential.
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