The renowned Riverside Park Hotel and Leisure Club beside the River Slaney at Enniscorthy is confirmed as the Vaccination Centre for County Wexford. Local Minister James Browne said that an agreement has been reached between the Riverside Hotel and the HSE to provide the County Wexford Vaccination Centre in Enniscorthy and this was signed off last night by the HSE at national level.
RIVERSIDE PARK HOTEL beside the River Slaney at Enniscorthy.
“This is very welcome news and will come as a great relief to many people,” said Minister Browne, who added; “I want to thank the Riverside Hotel for making their hotel available for such an important community service and the HSE for ensuring that Wexford has a major vaccination centre.”
In a comment on social media last night a spokesperson for the Riverside Hotel said; “We are absolutely delighted to be able to support the HSE with the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine starting soon at the Riverside Park Hotel, looking forward to a brighter future for us all.”
This vaccination centre will cater for the next phase of the vaccination rollout and will include a registration centre, ten injection bays, a recovery area and a temporary pharmacy.
Wexford County Council is in contact with the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) Crisis Management Team, and Carolyn Godkin, Director of Services, told Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council about plans to review the weather forecast for the coming days, including the potential impact of snow, and to provide all key stakeholders with this information directly to enable relevant preparations to take place.
“Thursday is the day when a band of rain will come in from the west bringing a lot of cold air and that is where we will see a lot of sleet and snow. We will be receiving daily briefings from NDFEM over the coming days. Our own emergency committee was briefed this morning (Monday) and we shared our various plans, and we will meet again over the coming days. People are ready to be mobilised depending on how the weather will change and calls can be taken from members of the public on 053 9196000,” Ms. Godkin told members via Microsoft Teams due to Covid-19 regulations.
A Severe Weather Coordination meeting was held today (Tuesday). NDFEM continues to meet daily, working with Met Éireann, OPW, local authorities and other Government Departments and agencies to monitor the forecasts and their predicted impacts.
A yellow weather warning for snow / ice is in place for counties Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Cavan and Monaghan until Wednesday evening, with snow already reported in many areas. Forecasts at present indicate scattered, wintry showers of sleet or snow, mainly affecting the east and northeast today (Tuesday). Overnight tonight temperatures are forecast to drop as low as -5oC in some areas. Wintry showers are likely to continue throughout Wednesday, mainly affecting the midlands, north Leinster and east Ulster.
A scene that could be repeated in Enniscorthy later this week. This was a light snowfall in January. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
A yellow warning for snow / ice has been issued for Thursday for Munster, Connaught and Leinster. It is likely that precipitation will fall as snow, with accumulations leading to hazardous conditions in some areas. This has the potential for disruption to transport. There is a potential for wintry showers to continue in some areas into Friday, but current indications are for milder conditions for the weekend, albeit with rain in some areas also.
Wexford County Council preparedness actions include;
Making sure extra beds are available for homeless / rough sleepers in line with the Cold Weather Strategy 20/21.
Road Treatment (winter maintenance);
Activation of crisis management and an inter-agency response.
Community Call staff in place to assist vulnerable and isolated persons and public communications of information and safety messages via local news media and WexfordLocal.com.
Department of Transport, An Garda Síochána and HSE all outlined their levels of preparedness also.
It should be emphasised that all unnecessary travel should continue to be avoided in line with current Public Health advice.
While walking the roads of North Wexford Cllr Joe Sullivan noticed that the litter problem is getting worse, and consequently, he brought a motion before Monday’s February meeting of Wexford County Council held with Microsoft Teams due to Covid-19 regulations which suggested that the Council “make recycling services free of charge at their designated locations around the county.”
Cllr Pat Barden had suggested the setting up of a working group in districts and reporting back to a central workforce, and Cllr Sullivan agreed, and “do something about litter in a meaningful way and the three pillars to go on were education, incentivise and enforcement as a last resort.”
Party waste dumped over a wall
CEO Tom Enright indicated that this matter had come up before the Council before and he noticed from talking to his recycling staff that where there was no charge before people were coming much more often with smaller amounts of recyclable material and when there was a small charge they were coming less regularly, but with larger amounts which made it much easier to operate the centres.
It was agreed to bring the matter to the SPC (Special Projects Committee) for the Environment and its Chairperson Cllr Mary Farrell said she would be happy to bring it there and come up with ideas and discussion to bring to a future meeting.
Naomh Éanna GAA Club in Gorey is leading the tributes to its Chairman, Nicky Stafford, Clonattin, Gorey, who passed away suddenly and is inviting people to light a candle of remembrance tonight (Monday) at 9pm.
NICKY STAFFORD
In a statement posted on social media the club said; “We have lost a pillar of our club, a man who gave his all to everything he did, and never, ever sought the limelight. We have lost a true gentleman, a man who always saw the good in people, and a committed volunteer. Nicky worked tirelessly and his heart was always in the right place. All Nicky wanted was to see the club and its members do well and he backed club members to the hilt. Nicky went above and beyond in his role as club chairman. He will be forever missed by his family, whom he adored, his devoted wife, Noreen, son, Conor, daughters, Niamh, Nicola, Louise, his extended family, his friends, his clubmates and the people of Gorey. As a club, we are heartbroken. May Nicky Rest in Peace.”
Tributes have also been posted by Gorey Rangers Soccer Club and Gorey Pipe Band and many individual tributes to a much loved member of the community who will be sadly missed. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.
Wexford students are set to benefit from funding announced today (Monday) by the Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris TD of €5.8 million granted for community education under the Mitigating against Educational Disadvantage Fund.
The funding will be administered by the Education and Training Boards and the Waterford and Wexford ETB will manage €788,739 for the two counties.
SENATOR MALCOLM BYRNE
The announcement has been warmly welcomed by Wexford Senator Malcolm Byrne who has campaigned for extra supports for disadvantaged students, especially those who may not have access to their own laptops or tablets. The allocation to the South-East is one of the largest in the country.
“This fund will particularly help with developing individuals’ digital skills and we need to ensure that all learners have access to the technology to do this. I’ve spoken a lot about the digital divide that the pandemic has exposed even more,” Senator Byrne told WexfordLocal.com
The Fund aims to increase the participation of disadvantaged learners, particularly with the digital infrastructure including providing devices and software, thus increasing their capacity to deliver online learning.
Minister Harris told WexfordLocal.com; “One of the things that the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted was educational inequality – be it a lack of devices like laptops or someone not having the connectivity to study online. The funding I am announcing today is specifically designed to tackle those inequalities and support access to community education.”
The fund is aimed at supporting and engaging with disadvantaged learners, reaching out, encouraging and supporting learners to re-engage with education and training and attracting new learners to engage with education and training opportunities.
Five units of Wexford Fire Service were called to South Main Street, Wexford, after smoke was noticed bellowing from buildings close to a car park near The Foggy Dew Bar and Guesthouse.
Blaze at the rear of Wexford’s South Main Street.
The blaze was noticed around 9 am and residents were evacuated from the area. No injuries are reported.
The street will remain closed for some time and the public is asked to avoid the area.
The new Rector of Bunclody Union of Parishes, Rev’d Trevor Sargent will preside at his first Service in Bunclody, tomorrow, Sunday, and due to Covid-19 restrictions and government guidelines it will be available online on his YouTube channel reverendtrevorsargent from midnight tonight.
Rev’d Sargent was instituted as Rector on Friday night and Bunclody Union of Parishes includes St. Mary’s Church, Bunclody, St Paul’s Church, Kildavin, St Fiac’s Church, Clonegal and St Brigid’s Church, Kilrush. He succeeds Canon Michael Stevenson who retired in February 2020.
REV’D TREVOR SARGENT opens the door of St. Mary’s Church following his institution as Rector of Bunclody.
The online institution service – a first for the Diocese – was attended by over 200 invited parishioners, family members and well-wishers.
Speaking at the Service Michael Burrows, Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory, said he was delighted to welcome Mr Sargent to Bunclody and he hoped that Trevor and his wife, Áine, would have many happy years there.
He also thanked Valerie Power and the Rev. Margaret Sykes and all those who held the fort during the one-year vacancy.
“With so many people attending from so many different places,” he said, “we are, in Biblical terms, surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.”
The preacher was the Very Rev’d Maria Jansson, Dean of Waterford who spoke of how Trevor had brought imagination, initiative and hard work to his curacy in Waterford Union and referred to how the world and the church will have changed considerably following this pandemic.
“As people of faith our task is to enable a conversation develop, that can relate God to the mess of life, to the potential for good in mankind,” she said, stating also that the seeds of a new church are taking root.
“As individuals and as communities we have to learn to witness in a way that makes sense to people who long for a radical and authentic faith,” she said.
Referring to the new Rector and his wife Áine Neville’s interest in organic growing she said that it was no accident that they were coming to Bunclody in the spring.
“You have a few months before the end of this pandemic,” she told Trevor in relation to his ministry, “to prepare the soil, to begin the conversations, so that you will know what needs to be weeded, protected, nourished and planted.”
Many prayers during the service were read in Irish, reflecting the new rector’s love and commitment to the language and his involvement with Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise (the Irish Guild of the Church) which promotes the use of the Irish language.
Robert Deacon welcomed Trevor and Áine to Bunclody on behalf of parishioners and Fr Laurence O’Connor, parish priest of Bunclody, also had words of greeting and encouragement. He said he was honoured to be asked to welcome the new rector, reassured him of his own deep ecumenical spirit and of his belief that the world must be enriched by difference, not alienated by it and prayed that Trevor will be a great light to the people of his pastoral areas.
After thanking many for their help and support Trevor spoke of how Bunclody is a beautiful part of the world and how both he and Áine feel blessed to be moving to Bunclody Rectory.
“The warmth and friendliness of the people here makes us feel very welcome,” he said.
“Naturally Áine and myself were sad to leave the many friends we had made in their parishes,” he said before the service, “but we are looking forward to this new chapter. Luke 2:27 reads: Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple.’ Likewise, becoming rector of Bunclody Union of Parishes has been a Spirit-led journey. I feel a strong calling to serve this community. I pray that in striving to do God’s will, that the deep peace of knowing Jesus will help more and more people to overcome the personal, local and planetary challenges we face in this pandemic and beyond it.”
Two men, aged in their early 40s and late teens, were arrested and detained at Wexford Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1996 following the search of a house in the Kilmuckridge area on Friday.
Cannabis found in a house in Kilmuckridge (Pic; An Garda Siochana)
A cannabis grow-house and a large quantity of amphetamine valued in total at €66,000 was seized.
Gardaí attached to the Divisional Drug Unit supported by local and regional units made the discovery as part of Operation Tara.
In a statement issued on Friday Irish Water and Wexford County Council are asking homes and businesses to check for leaks and to conserve water where possible whilst adhering to public health advice on hand washing and hygiene regarding Covid-19.
“We are asking people to do this to protect the water supply in advance of expected freezing temperatures and snow expected in the coming days. In January, following freezing temperatures and the subsequent thaw the public water network experienced a greater than normal volume of bursts. Irish Water in partnership with Wexford County Council carried out hundreds of leakage and burst repairs arising from the cold snap. Tom Cuddy, Head of Operations, Irish Water, told WexfordLocal.com; “As we face another spell of sub-zero temperatures over the weekend and into next week we are appealing to homes, businesses and those responsible for unoccupied buildings to check for leaks whilst adhering to current public health regulations and advice, and to turn off water where it’s not needed. We are also appealing to customers to check outside pipes that can become frozen and burst during periods of cold weather and report leaks they see on the public network to us.
“Small efforts by everyone to conserve water wherever possible make a big difference overall and we would ask the public to only use what they need whilst continuing to adhere to public health advice on hand washing and hygiene regarding Covid-19. Simple advice on conservation includes for example taking showers over baths and fixing dripping taps where it is possible to do so. “We are also reminding people with responsibility for properties that are currently unoccupied to check for leaks, whilst adhering to public health regulations and advice and turn off water where it is not required. There are lots more tips on how to conserve water in your home, business or school on our website at https://www.water.ie/conservation/
To report a leak please contact Irish Water on 1850 278 278
Temperatures are set to drop dramatically and today the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management issued a statement regards potential severe weather next week.
WEATHER OUTLOOK; There is a risk of frost/ice in some areas tonight and tomorrow night.
From Sunday night there will be widespread frost and ice and with low daytime temperatures. It will turn increasingly cold over the next few days. Low pressure is currently centred near Ireland and will sink southeastwards from today, introducing a colder northerly airflow over the country. Then as the low continues to move away to the southeast, an even colder easterly airflow will be introduced. From Sunday night, showers will start to turn wintry in nature, but will primarily affect north Leinster and north Ulster. There is potential for yellow snow/ice warnings for these areas. Some showers will penetrate further inland, but are likely to be more isolated in nature.
Midweek next week brings a more significant threat of a widespread snow event as low pressure in the mid-Atlantic (and its associated precipitation) moves up and clashes with the colder air underneath. There is potential for countrywide yellow/orange warnings for this. Met Éireann says there are indications of a milder airflow next Friday that will move in across the country bringing more wet and windy conditions.
The scene on Gorey’s Main Street, March 2 2018. Will these scenes be repeated this week? (Archive Pic; Joseph Dixon)
Co-ordinated Response Met Éireann updated the Principal Response Agencies (HSE, local authorities, An Garda Síochána) on the current outlook at a meeting this morning. Local authorities lead on the response to severe weather and are undertaking preparedness actions, including:
Making sure extra beds are available for homeless / rough sleepers in line with the Cold Weather Strategy 20/21;
Operating road treatment on key routes (winter maintenance);
Activating of crisis management and an inter-agency coordination;
Maintaining Community Call staff in place to assist vulnerable and isolated persons; Communicating information and safety messages via local news media and WexfordLocal.com. Met Éireann, local authorities and the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management are continuing the monitor this evolving situation.
WexfordLocal.com 