Two lifeboats assisted yacht in trouble

The Rosslare Harbour RNLI lifeboat ‘Severn‘ seen from the Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat Tamar on Thursday evening’s rescue of two people on a yacht. (Pic; RNLI/Nigel Millard)

By Dan Walsh

Crews from Rosslare Harbour and Kilmore Quay RNLI were called to the assistance of two people on board a yacht that was taking on water eight miles northeast of Rosslare Harbour on Thursday evening.

The Rosslare Harbour RNLI volunteer crew were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard at 4.52pm and the lifeboat under Coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke and with six crew members on board, arrived on scene at 5.30pm. At the time a Force 5 south westerly wind was blowing with moderate seas but with good visibility.

Having assessed the situation and in consultation with the yacht crew, two lifeboat crew boarded the casualty vessel with a bilge pump which prevented further flooding aboard the vessel. A tow was established at 5.40pm.

However, given the inclement weather conditions at Rosslare Harbour, it was decided that it would be safer to bring the yacht to Kilmore Quay harbour and the lifeboat crew at Kilmore Quay, who were taking part in the opening of the annual Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival at the time, were launched and arrived on scene at Carnsore Point at 8.15pm.

The crews worked together to transfer the tow to the second lifeboat relieving the Rosslare Harbour lifeboat and crew to return to base. Two members of the Kilmore Quay crew were transferred to the casualty vessel and the boats made their way back to Kilmore Quay arriving just after 10pm.

Speaking following the call out, Deputy Launch Authority, Tony Kehoe, said: ‘I would like to commend both crews on the successful outcome which was down to the excellent cooperation and teamwork between all involved. I would also like to commend the crew of the yacht for raising the alarm when they did, ensuring we got to them in time. It is vital to have proper means of communication such as VHF radio when heading out to sea as they did.”

Power to the People in Enniscorthy

CLLR JOHN O’ROURKE launching the Power to the People exhibition at Enniscorthy Castle. Also in the picture young members of Cllr O’Rourke’s family, Cllrs Kathleen Codd-Nolan, Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathal Byrne and Castle Manager Mico Hassett.

By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Castle

In his first public assignment as Cathaoirleach of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, Cllr John O’Rourke was guest of honour at Enniscorthy Castle last night (Friday) where he proudly launched a new exhibition entitled Power to the People; How electricity changed the world.

Cllr O’Rourke complimented Manager Mico Hassett and her staff at Enniscorthy Castle for researching and hosting the exhibition and described it as “a great display” and he welcomes “everyone from Co. Wexford to come and see the artefacts that have been brought forward as part and parcel of a bygone era and introduction to a future era.”

“It’s remarkable and a treasure for Enniscorthy,” said Cllr O’Rourke, who added; “Everyone should come here and look at the exhibition and take away some pointers from it that they can bring home and use to be energy efficient in their own homes.”

Ms. Hassett thanked Cllr O’Rourke for opening the exhibition in the presence of his family members and fellow Cllrs Barbara-Anne Murphy, Kathleen Codd-Nolan and Cathal Byrne.

The summer exhibition at Enniscorthy Castle explores the history of the electrification of Ireland and the future of sustainable energy. Beginning with a display of pre-electrical home implements, the exhibit extends through the electrification process to the Carnsore protests against nuclear energy in the 1970’s and 80’s.

The Wexford County Council Archives, under Grainne Doran, and local business North Two Madness, have kindly loaned artifacts from the various time periods for display. Images from the ESB (Electricity Supply Board) electrification scheme archives are also included in a visually compelling and informative exhibit.

Sustainable energy is covered in the second room with family-friendly graphics showing how various types of energy, from wind and wave to solar, are generated. It also highlights the renewed interest in nuclear as a ‘clean energy’ source and raises the pros and cons.

Pinergy Solar Electric have kindly donated a solar panel for up close viewing to the exhibition. Kids will also have the chance to pedal a bike to power their mobile phone, sponsored by Wexford People Helping People bike shop!

The staff of Enniscorthy Castle have been hard at work over the past two years’ bringing exhibitions to their second-floor space and creating more reasons to visit throughout the year.

Entry to the exhibit is included in the Enniscorthy Castle general admission tour ticket of €6 per adult (€5 student/seniors) or €15 for up to a family of five. Running through the end of September 2023 and open Mon- Fri 9.30- 5pm (with last admission at 4.30pm) and on weekends Sat/ Sun 12 to 5pm.

€11.4m cocaine in a horsebox

By Dan Walsh

Two men were arrested after Revenue officers seized almost 163kgs of cocaine with an estimated value of €11.4 million at Rosslare Europort yesterday (Thursday).

Sniffer dod Daithi earns his keep. (Pic; Revenue Commissioners)

The illicit drugs were discovered with the assistance of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner and Detector Dog Daithi, in a horse box which had arrived from Cherbourg, France.

Two men, one aged in their 20s and one aged in their 30s, were arrested by An Garda Síochána and are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at a Garda station in County Wexford. Investigations are ongoing. 

This seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing work targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity. If businesses, or members of the public. have any information, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295. 

N11 reopens following collision

By Dan Walsh

The N11 north of Oylegate village has reopened to traffic following a road traffic collision that occurred around 8.45am today.

The collision involved a male pedestrian, aged in his mid-30’s, and a truck. Weather conditions were atrocious at the time.

The pedestrian was removed by ambulance and escorted by An Garda Siochana to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where he remains in a critical condition.

The truck driver in his late 60’s and the sole occupant of the vehicle were reported uninjured.

The road had been closed for several hours to facilitate a technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators, but it has since reopened to traffic.

Gardaí are appealing to any person who may have information in relation to this collision to contact them.

Any road users who were travelling in the vicinity of Oylegate on the N11, between 8.30am and 9am, and who may have camera footage (including dash cam) is asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí.

Anyone with information in relation to this incident can contact Enniscorthy Garda Station on 053 9233534, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

Further delays at Gorey St. Aidan’s

Families and individuals protesting outside of St. Aidan’s Day Centre, Gorey, against the respite services last May (Pic; File WexfordLocal.com).

By Dan Walsh

Disappointing news emanating from Gorey states that the St. Aidan’s Respite Services at Mulcahy House that was forced to close on May 1st for 12 weeks is further delayed and will not open in August as planned.

In a statement, Chief Executive Officer Eimear Mannion said due to the lengthy vetting processes in the sector, they wouldn’t have enough new employees started in time to facilitate the reopening of respite on August 1st.

Ms. Mannion added; “The exact date or a time period for when the service is likely to reopen is unknown.”

Back in May od this year, in a letter sent to service users and their families, Assistant Chief CEO James Traynor, said;  “We had hoped that a return to how we would normally operate in Mulcahy House was sustainable from January 1, 2023, when we reopened but, due to staffing vacancies across the service and in Mulcahy House itself, we cannot work to the standard we are used to, nor provide the level of service.

“These recruitment challenges have potential to put the individuals we support at a greater risk than we are able to mitigate at this present time, and we have the responsibility to operate a safe and effective service, this has always been our primary concern,” concluded Mr. Traynor.

Gas explosion and fire at Camolin

The scene at Ballydaniel Court, Camolin, this evening where a property was destroyed by an explosion and fire.

By Dan Walsh at Camolin

A man in his 40’s is in a Dublin Hospital tonight (Wednesday) following a large explosion and a devastating house fire at a property in Ballydaniel Court on the outskirts of Camolin village that shook the community around 3pm.

The injured man was involved in tiling work in the bathroom of the house when the explosion occurred. He was treated by paramedics at the scene prior to removal by Air Corps 112 helicopter to a Dublin hospital. Sources at the scene this evening said his condition is “unknown” but expressed the hope that he will make a recovery.

Local sources also told WexfordLocal.com that a woman in a neighbouring property was “knocked off her feet” by the force of the blast. She was taken to hospital for observation. Her pet dog sustained superficial burns.

The owners of the property were at their workplaces when the explosion took place and were absent from their home at the time.

The building was completely devastated by the fire that followed the explosion and a demolition crew were on hand to make the site safe later evening.

Paramedics from the National Ambulance Service were quickly on the scene. Fire service crews from Bunclody, Enniscorthy, Gorey and Wexford were also in attendance.

Separate investigations are taking place by Gas Networks Ireland and An Garda Siochana.

€52,000 of cannabis seized in New Ross

Yesterday, (Tuesday), as part of an intelligence-led operation, Revenue officers seized approximately 2.6kgs of herbal cannabis with an estimated value of €52,000 in the New Ross district.

The seizure was made as a result of a joint operation involving Revenue’s Customs Service, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) and the New Ross Detective Unit.

A female in her 30s was arrested by An Garda Síochána and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at a Garda station in County Wexford.

Investigations are ongoing.

This seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing joint investigations targeting organised crime groups and the importation, sale and supply of illegal drugs. If businesses, or members of the public, have any information about smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on phone number 1800 295 295.

Call for Uisce Éireann be abolished

By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council monthly meeting

“Uisce Éireann should be abolished. It is not working, and it is not going to work,” strong words from Cllr Lisa McDonald addressing yesterday’s (Monday) July meeting of Wexford County Council held in the Council Chamber at Carricklawn.

CLLR LISA McDONALD

Cllr McDonald received good support from her fellow councillors. The debate followed a presentation entitled ‘Water Services Transition to Uisce Éireann Single Public Utility’ delivered by Fionnuala Callery, Acting Senior Engineer at Wexford County Council Water Services.

Ms. Callery said there would be no change in service delivery to the public, but the SLA (Service Level Agreement) with Irish Water from January 2014 is replaced by the Master Cooperation Agreement (MCA), effective from September 2023, and Support Services Agreement (SSA) until December 2026.

Ms. Callery emphasised that Uisce Éireann is the contact for all water services enquiries and a Councillor Clinic will be held three times a year with a dedicated contact number; 1800 178 178 (9am to 5pm weekdays, out of hours contact; 1800 278 278 and a dedicated email address; localrepsupport@water.ie. Uisce Éireann propose a workshop with Wexford County Council elected members in September.

Members reacted angrily to Ms. Callery’s delivery, although it must be stated that Ms. Callery and Deputy CE, Eamonn Hore, and Wexford County Council workers, were highly praised for their quick response to queries regarding leakages and when emergencies arose. It was felt generally that the local response to a vital amenity was further removed from the local councillors and Uisce Éireann customers.

“Uisce Éireann should be abolished. It is not working, and it is not going to work,” claimed Cllr McDonald who stated there was growing frustration amongst councillors due to a lack of answers and poor investment in rural areas.”

Cllr Cathal Byrne was critical of “conditions that contractor’s leave behind them and described what is happening as a “very depressing event,” before concluding that “the next RTÉ will be Uisce Éireann.”

Cllr George Lawlor stated that “either we have a single public utility, or we don’t”; Cllr Davy Hynes was critical of the quango and privatisation and felt this was a further example of “taking away the powers” from the local authority.

Cllr Jim Codd suggested that “the big parties” take the matter to Dáil Éireann and Cllr Leonard Kelly acknowledged the positive relationship between the Council and the staff.

Cllr Ger Carty said it was “a disgusting day” and called for a dedicated mobile number – not an email contact – and Cllr Jackser Owens added his support. The matter is expected to arise again at the September meeting following the summer recess.

Regional Water Plan for South-East

By Dan Walsh

Uisce Éireann today (Tuesday) begins a twelve-week public consultation on the draft Regional Water Resource Plan – South-East which will continue until October 3rd and the region covers approximately 9,200 square kilometres, encompassing counties Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wicklow and Wexford.

The plan sets out options for providing a more secure, reliable and sustainable water supply for 369,240 customers in the South-East region over the next 25 years. 

Uisce Éireann’s National Water Resources Plan (NWRP) will be the first resources plan for the entire public water supply in Ireland. The NWRP will identify the needs of existing suppliers and the challenges and opportunities faced over the coming years including legislation, climate change, the environment, growth and economic development. The NWRP will also provide a transparent roadmap on how Uisce Éireann will plan for its water assets to align with national policy. 

There are 143 Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in the South-East Region, which collectively serve 369,240 people or 9% of the population of Ireland and 29,700 businesses via approximately 17,730 kilometres of distribution network.  

Speaking at the launch of the public consultation, Mairéad Conlon, Regional Water Resources Strategy Lead for Uisce Éireann said; “The development of a draft plan on how Uisce Éireann will supply water across the South-East region is an important step. It will allow Uisce Éireann to review water supply needs across the region and consider local options to resolve these needs.

“The draft plan sets out how we envisage water will be supplied to homes and businesses across counties Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wicklow and Wexford over the next 25 years. Our team hopes to meet as many people as possible and hear from them about their local areas, to ensure that our plan is the best fit for the South East region,” explained Ms. Conlon.

A 12-week statutory public consultation will run from July 11th to October 3rd 2023. Submissions can be made by post or email by 3 October 2023 to: Email: nwrp@water.ie Post:  National Water Resources Plan, Uisce Éireann, PO Box 13216, Glenageary, Co. Dublin. 

Gum disposal unit visits Wexford town

At the Bin Your Gum launch in Selskar, (from left to right): Siobhan Kehoe, Wexford Borough District; Phil Murphy, Wexford Tidy Towns; Mayor of Wexford, Cllr John Hegarty; Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr John Fleming, Caroline Sinnott, Wexford County Council and Jill Latimer, Wexford County Council. (Pic; Ger Hore).

By Dan Walsh

The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) has taken to the streets of Wexford Town as a part of its summer interactive Roadshow that works with local authorities and communities across the country to carry out fun and engaging education and awareness initiatives that demonstrate the proper means of gum disposal and raise awareness of the environmental and fiscal impacts of gum litter.

Now in its 16th year, the campaign is a collaboration between Food Drink Ireland, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, the chewing gum industry, and local authorities.

Welcoming the Roadshow to Wexford Town, Cllr John Fleming, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council was delighted to welcome back the Gum Litter

Taskforce to Wexford. “The Roadshow is a fantastic way to demonstrate to people the sustainable impacts of responsibly disposing of gum litter and changing their disposal behaviours,” he said.

Mayor of Wexford Cllr John Hegarty stated ‘This GLT campaign has seen a visible reduction of gum litter on our streets since it first began, the Roadshow is an important reminder to the whole community that we must continue to reduce our litter and protect our local environment.”

Speaking at the launch of this year’s Roadshow, Minister Ossian Smyth welcomed the latest research and the return of the GLT campaign for the second year of its fifth cycle. “The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is proud

to play a part in this important initiative. Each cycle of the campaign has delivered demonstrable progress in reducing gum litter on our streets, showing the impact that cross-collaborative initiatives such as this one can have. I look forward to continuing with our good work with industry and local authorities to build on the continued success of the GLT campaign to ultimately eradicate gum litter.” concluded Minister Smyth.