Predeceased by her husband Mike and son John; Mrs Bartak passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Bon Secours Care Village, Mount Desert, Lee Road, Co. Cork.
Her passing is most deeply regretted by her loving family Barbara, Tony, Steve, and Eva, her adored grandchildren Jessica, Isabel, Kim, Alec, Ben, Sam and Paige, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, brother, sisters, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.
For the many persons who would have liked to have attended the funeral service for Mrs Bartak, but are unable to do so, due to current coronavirus pandemic restrictions; same can be viewed online HERE.
[NB: Due to Public Health Guidelines, regarding C-19 virus restrictions; those attending (limited to 50 mourners) will continue to observe strict adherence to social distancing and face covering.]
The extended Bartak family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time and have made arrangements for those wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.
The Department of Health has confirmed 1,120 new cases of Covid-19 in the RepubliC Of Ireland today, with 142 people in hospitals; some 27 of whom are in ICU’s. Irish Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tony Holohan, has strongly urged anyone eligible to register for vaccine to do so as soon as possible.
In Northern Ireland, there were 1,473 new virus infections reported today, with sadly three further related deaths, bringing the total of confirmed cases on our island of Éire to 2,593.
The Minister for Health, Mr Stephen Donnelly, has confirmed that the Covid-19 vaccination programme will be extended to all those aged 12 to 15, with the online portal to register, to be opened sometime next week.
Earlier, this week a recommendation by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) was made to the Government, confirming that all children in this age category should be offered an mRNA vaccine.
In other news; the number of people permitted to attend weddings will rise to 100 after August 5th, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Simon Coveney. Minister Coveney stated that the Government had made an exception for weddings, but their future message remains one of continued caution.
Booster Covid-19 shots combined with possibly flu vaccine are expected to be offered first to nursing home residents, vulnerable groups, those aged over 80 years and to frontline health workers, in the coming months.
Urgent action needed to curb nitrogen pollution in Ireland’s waters, says EPA.
Ireland’s surface waters and groundwaters continue to be under pressure from human activities.
Just over half of Ireland’s rivers and lakes are in a satisfactory condition which means that a large number are unable to sustain healthy ecosystems for fish, insects and plants.
There has been a modest improvement in river biological quality overall with 345 rivers showing improvements and 230 rivers declining in quality.
Nitrogen levels in rivers, groundwater, and estuaries in the south, southeast and east of Ireland are too high and increasing. This is primarily due to agricultural activities.
Urgent and targeted action is required to reduce the amount of nitrogen entering our waters.
River Suir, near Barry’s Bridge, Thurles town, Co. Tipperary.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published the Water Quality in 2020: An Indicators Report which provides an assessment of the quality of Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwaters.
The main threat to water quality is high nutrient levels, such as phosphorus and nitrogen which come from human activities. Many rivers, groundwaters and estuaries in the south, southeast and east of Ireland are under pressure from excess nitrogen from agricultural activities. Almost half our rivers (47%), a quarter of our groundwaters (24%) and one fifth of our estuarine and coastal water bodies (21%) have nitrogen levels that are too high. The levels impact the ability of these waters to sustain healthy ecosystems and cause nuisance algal blooms in our estuaries. High nitrogen levels, above the drinking water standard, can pose a risk to human health. Commenting on the report, EPA Director of Evidence and Assessment, Dr Eimear Cotter said: “Our water quality is currently under threat with nitrogen pollution from agriculture causing particular pressure in parts of the south, southeast and east of the country. Rivers such as the Bandon, Lee, Blackwater, Suir, Nore, Barrow and Slaney have nitrogen levels that are too high with significant implications for the marine environments they flow into. We urgently need to address nitrogen pollution so that we can protect and restore the water quality in these areas. If we do not substantially reduce nitrogen inputs to our rivers, and ultimately our marine environment, we are in danger of further deteriorations in water quality and losing our excellent coastal water quality.”
Just over half of Ireland’s rivers and lakes are in satisfactory biological quality which means that a large number are unable to sustain healthy ecosystems for fish, insects and plants. While there are encouraging signs of improvements in the areas prioritised for action in the River Basin Management Plan, a lot more needs to be done to improve water quality. In 2019 and 2020, 345 rivers showed improvements in quality, including an increase in the number of high-quality river sites, however, 230 rivers declined in quality. Ms Mary Gurrie, Programme Manager, added: “While there has been an overall net improvement in the biological quality of rivers monitored in 2019 and 2020, EPA found that 230 rivers declined in quality. It is a key requirement of the Water Framework Directive that we protect water quality and prevent deterioration. The scale of declines is off-setting the improvements and hampering progress towards improving water quality. It is essential that action is taken in both the next River Basin Management Plan and the Nitrates Action Programme to continue improvements whilst also preventing further deterioration.”
The report is available HERE on the EPA website and the accompanying data used in the water quality assessments are available on www.catchments.ie. An infographic is also available.
Pictured yesterday on the Yellow Lough Road (R659) just outside Holycross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Photo: G. Willoughby.
Wildflower.
Written by Clinton Arneson
The wildflower… bred by no one, uncultivated; raised hard, raised rough. No glass pane to shield you, nor tender hand revealed you, standing all the sweeter ‘gainst the grass. There may be some the fairer, though none so brave to dare her, wild, wild flower in the wind. END
Cotton buds, plastic plates and straws made for single use plastic are now banned in Ireland from yesterday The European Union’s Single Use Plastic (SUP) Directive means that many common items, manufactured as single use plastics, will now be totally banned from the Irish market place.
Readers will be aware that ‘single-use plastic products’ are items only used once, or indeed for a very short period of time, before eventually being dumped; with the 10 most commonly located single-use plastic items representing 85% of all marine litter, located within our seas and waterways.
Cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plastic plates, cocktail stirrers, chopsticks, plastic straws, shopping bags, expanded polystyrene single use food and beverage containers, and all oxo-degradable plastic products are on this list of products, which, from yesterday, are now banned from being placed for sale within the Irish market place.
The objective of this welcome EU Directive, quote “is to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular the aquatic environment, and on human health, as well as to promote the transition to a circular economy, with innovative and sustainable business models, products and materials”.
Continued in the Irish government’s “Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy”; [roadmap published in September last year]; Ireland commits to increase plastic recycling rates to 50% by 2025, and at long last to introduce a deposit return scheme which will accommodate plastic bottles and cans; and, by 2030, ensure that all packaging on the Irish market is reusable or recyclable.
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