Wexford County Council has issued three separate water alerts for Enniscorthy and householders and businesses should take note.
Due to leak detection works; Bellefield, Pearse Road, Parnell Road, Slaney View Park Fr. Murphy Park and Rectory Road will have water supply issues from tonight (Thursday) – 10pm to 4am.
Due to reservoir issues, water will be off in all Enniscorthy town from 9pm on Friday night, December 18th, until 5am on Saturday, December 19th. Immediate nearby areas may be affected.
Due to reservoir issues, water supply will be disrupted in Enniscorthy town from 9pm on Saturday, December 19th until 6am on Sunday, December 20th, inclusive. Usual pressure issues and discoloration may occur for a time afterwards.
€108,000 has been granted to five animal welfare organisations in Co. Wexford announced today by the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue T.D.
MELANIE CROCE, Executive Director, Seal Rescue Ireland.
€50,000 goes to Wexford SPCA, c/o The Vet Centre, Distillery Road, Wexford.
€24,000 for North Wexford SPCA, Rafter St., Gorey.
€16,500 for Seal Rescue Ireland, Courtown Harbour.
€15,500 for New Ross SPCA, Ballyclemock, Newbawn.
€2,000 for Chippers Sanctuary, Clonattin Village, Gorey.
Bree Community Development Group recently secured a grant of €5,000 from Wexford County Council to provide Christmas lighting for Bree village and the fruits of their labour transformed the village into festival mode when illuminations were switched on for the first-time last weekend.
The pleasure of switching on was assigned to Ger Mackey, District Manager Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, with able assistance from local Cllr Cathal Byrne and Paul Kehoe TD, and the children of the village provided a rousing countdown chorus.
The Covid-19 restrictions inhibited public participation in the project, however, there is an understanding in this regard and a warm welcome and appreciation for the community efforts in lighting up the village for Christmas and the Support Local message is top of everyone’s gift list this year.
The project is centred on two local landmarks; the magnificent Bree Community Centre, which also features an outdoor crib, and the Dick Joynt Memorial Garden. Many homes and business premises in the village have brought an added festive feel with the walking trails at Bree Hill as the perfect backdrop to community spirit and initiative.
BREE COMMUNITY CENTRE in festive lighting mood with snowmen, reindeers and an outdoor crib.
Independent TD for Wexford, Verona Murphy, has criticised the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, for what she describes as totally unacceptable not to have 24-hour inspections at Rosslare Europort, saying “the decision to have two eight-hour shifts will cause complete mayhem.”
DEPUTY VERONA MURPHY
“This will cause unacceptable delays and clearly shows that DAFM have no regard for what is required to facilitate smooth operation of the logistics sector and will serve to create a barrier to trade at the port,” said Deputy Murphy.
She added; “The decision displays an unbelievable lack of understanding, which unfortunately appears to be the trademark of those responsible on the Governments side for facilitating a smooth transition of Brexit on January 1st. DAFM officials in highly paid jobs would need to inform themselves and be on top of their job to ensure stupid decisions such as this don’t happen.”
Deputy Murphy concluded; “This decision will have a huge effect on the supply chain. The Minister for Agriculture needs to take command of his department and put a 24-hour service in Rosslare Europort. The chain of distribution must operate without unnecessary delay. The Taoiseach said the government will do whatever is necessary to safeguard Irish exports. He, along with the Minister for Agriculture, need to ensure that 24-hour cover is provided at Rosslare by all regulatory agencies.”
Colin Bowe was amongst the ten winners at the 18th annual Horse Racing Ireland Awards announced today. “I wasn’t expecting it but delighted to be a winner for the second year in a row,” the Kiltealy handler told presenter Gary O’Brien in a ceremony transmitted on the HRI website. The popular Kiltealy handler is the winner of the Point-to-Point Award for the second year running, continuing the domination of County Wexford in the category. His fellow countymen Barry O’Neill (a previous winner along with Jamie Codd) and Rob James were also nominated for the HRI Point-to-Point Award.
COLIN BOWE has won the HRI award for second year in a row.
Colin won his eighth leading point-to-point handler award last season and three horses, Envoi Allen, Samcro and Ferny Hollow, that he brought up through the ranks triumphed at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
This is Colin’s second award in a week. He is the latest winner of the Willie Stephenson Memorial Trophy from Goffs UK, an award that goes to a person who is deemed to have made the biggest contribution to the sales company in the previous year.
Colin Bowe is currently leading the National Point-to-Point Handlers Championship for 2020-’21 with 23 winners and has trained 382 winners ‘between the flags’ as well as a number on the track in a 12-year career.
Irish Water working in partnership with Wexford County Council have completed remedial measures and the receipt of satisfactory monitoring results and announced that the Boil Water notice in place since last Thursday is now lifted with immediate effect. This decision follows consultation undertaken with the Health Service Executive.
Customers affected were on the Wexford Town Public Water Supply and included Newtown Road, Carcur, Carricklawn, Coolcotts, Whitemill, Wygram, Clonard, Townparks, Ard Carman, Hill Street and rural districts of Barntown and Taghmon.
All affected consumers on the Wexford Town Public Water Supply can now resume normal use of the water supply for drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth. Irish Water and the Wexford County Council – Health Service Executive Water Local Liaison Group will continue to meet and review ongoing process control, monitoring and testing of the drinking water supply.
There was a malfunction at the Newtown Water Treatment plant which led to the Boil Water Notice being put in place. The raw water quality entering the plant had diminished in quality, and a malfunction which should have triggered an alarm to shut the plant down did not activate. As a precaution, this required a Boil Water Notice to be put in place. Irish Water and Wexford County Council acknowledge the patience, co-operation, and assistance of affected consumers during the period of the Boil Water notice and greatly regrets any inconvenience caused to householders and the business community.
Award-winning champion handler Colin Bowe sent out newcomer Here Comes The Man to win the five-year-old geldings maiden race at Boulta, Co. Cork, today for Toomevara owner James Grace. The mount of Rob James Here Comes The Man was an impressive winner by ten lengths. He is for the sales.
Hard luck on champion Barry O’Neill who was committed to riding Colin Bowe’s runners at Olcastle, unfortunately, the Meath track was found to be waterlogged in places this morning and the races were cancelled.
Ellen Doyle’s Tomgarrow Lane stables continued in winning form when newcomer Setme Straightmate had a dozen lengths to spare in the maiden race for four-year olds in the hands of John O’Neill. The winner is sales bound.
Today’s other point-to-point action was at Stradbally. The popular Laois track is always good for Wexford stables and the success continued in heavy conditions this afternoon.
Cormac Doyle, Ballindaggin, captured the second division of the maiden race for four-year olds with newcomer Ozzie Man getting home first by two lengths for Mayglass rider Jack Hendrick in the colours of the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership.
Division two of the five-year olds plus mares’ maiden race resulted in victory for Dazzling Glory from the Redbridge Stables, Duncormick, trained by Michael Murphy and ridden by Sean Staples.
JAMES WALSH
Most impressive winner of the day was High Stakes who became the first horse to win four races this season and was runner-up in his only other outing when he won the Winner of Three race by six lengths for owner/handler John Edward Walsh, Prebin, Tinahely. Winning rider, James Walsh, said afterwards that High Stakes “could go for an Open before contesting a hunter chase in the New Year.”
Equally impressive was James Devereux’s home-bred Mr Mantilla who was a six lengths winner in the Open Race and could be aimed at the Foxhunters Chase next Spring. Trained by the owner/breeder’s son Vincent Devereux at Rostoonstown Stud, Broadway – it was his 30th career success as a handler – and ridden today by Shane O’Rourke, Foulksmills, Mr Mantilla was winning his third race of the season and has won five of his six career starts. Ironically, his only defeat was in a photo-finish at Lingstown last March in a race sponsored by the family stud business!
The Irish South East branch of the National Union of Journalists presented a cheque to the striking Debenhams workers at City Square, Waterford, in solidarity as their union struggle continues. The presentation took place on Saturday made by Chairperson, Damien Tiernan of WLR.
DAMIEN TIERNAN (extreme right), Chairperson of NUJ South East Branch. presenting a cheque to striking Debenhams workers in Waterford.
“It is only €200. Wish we could have given more.” said Mr Tiernan, who added; The money goes towards small Christmas hampers which other trade unionists are organising for those picketing. Hope ye get justice folks. Our hearts go out to ye and wish we could do more. Ye are inspirational.”
Dan Walsh, managing editor of WexfordLocal.com who is Treasurer and Acting Secretary for the NUJ South East Branch, acknowledged the trade union difficulties encountered by the Debenhams workers and fully endorsed the NUJ support. “We need to show solidarity with our unionised colleagues and ensure that they are treated fairly with dignity at work and when employment ceases.”
Mr Walsh is well aware of the stress caused by job losses and recalls his own situation when The Wexford Echo was liquidated in the High Court and local journalism jobs were lost in June 2017. “I was working normally. Told a meeting would take place in an hour. Less than two hours later and I was instructed ‘no need to turn in next morning and no newspaper will be published next week,’ he recalled.
In April, the NUJ Irish South East branch donated €250 to NUJ Extra which is a charity established to assist union members unable to work.
The first two of three ferries to be deployed on DFDS’s new Brexit Buster Rosslare to Dunkerque route have been named KERRY which was previously used on Brittany Ferries Rosslare to Bilbao route and will be joined by Rederi AB Gotland’s VISBY. The identity of the third vessel is expected to be confirmed next week.
While KERRY is well known in Irish shipping and haulage circles, VISBY is a new vessel to both the English Channel and Irish Sea. Completed by Guangzhou Shipyard in 2003, the ship was originally designed for the Visby – Nynashamn/Oskarshamn service in Sweden. Although configured as a day ferry, VISBY also has 119 passenger cabins onboard. By contrast, KERRY has 79.
Brittany Ferries ship KERRY (Pic; Brittany Ferries/ Jose Luis Diaz Compa).
VISBY was designed to sail at up to 28 knots, though it seems unlikely DFDS will utilise this speed given the high fuel consumption required to achieve it. VISBY has been chartered until May with the option of an extension.
KERRY will become the fourth Visentini series Ro-Pax in service between Ireland and Continental Europe when she joins the route. The others are Irish Ferries EPSILON, Stena Line’s STENA HORIZON, and Brittany Ferries CONNEMARA. The Dunkerque – Rosslare service is expected to start next month once the UK leaves the current EU transition arrangements.
Wexford Independent TD and former President of the IRHA, (Irish Road Haulage Association) Verona Murphy has welcomed the announcement by Stena Line today of an additional vessel on the Rosslare Europort to Cherbourg route and the doubling of weekly sailings. This will bring Stena Line frequency on the route from three to six times weekly each way direct services from January 2021.
This follows the announcement just two weeks ago by DFDS of a new six times weekly each way direct service between Rosslare and Dunkerque and means Rosslare Europort will be Ireland’s leading port connecting Irish industry to Europe, with up to 15 sailings each way weekly in 2021.
ROSSLARE EUROPORT
Deputy Murphy has said “this announcement goes further to opening up markets for Irish businesses. It is long overdue and is greatly welcomed by hauliers and businesses alike. Today’s announcement from Stena Line further supports the RORO capacity needed to service import and export trade.
The Independent TD continued; “Significant government investment into Rosslare Europort, in the region of €200 million, is now needed without delay so as not to hinder capacity and future trade opportunities. Irelands economy is dependent on the growth of Rosslare Europort. Government can no longer ignore the fact that Rosslare is Irelands most strategically placed port, and that Port development is pivotal in securing Irelands import and export trades, Irish businesses and Irish jobs.”
Ms. Murphy concluded by commending Stena Line on their forward thinking in light of the Brexit chaos which will ensue in January 2021 and Europort manager Glenn Carr for his ongoing work with stakeholders in developing the port into Irelands gateway with Europe.
WexfordLocal.com 