Revenue officers at Rosslare Europort have seized almost 18,500 cigarettes with an estimated retail value of €13,120 representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €10,350.
The illegal cigarettes, branded ‘’Benson & Hedges Gold’, ‘Benson & Hedges Silver’ and ‘L&M Blue’, were discovered when Revenue officers stopped and searched a Slovakian registered van that had disembarked a ferry from Cherbourg, France.
The search, which was carried out with the assistance of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner and detector dog Gus, led to the discovery of the cigarettes concealed within the load. A Slovakian national in his 40s was questioned.
ROSSLARE EUROPORT (File Picture)
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, Revenue officers at Rosslare Europort also seized 85 litres of wine. The wine was discovered following the search of an unaccompanied trailer, with the assistance of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner, that had arrived on a ferry from Cherburg, France. The wine has a retail value of over €1,000 representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of more than €550. Investigations are ongoing.
These seizures are part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the importation of illegal cigarettes and alcohol. If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.
A claim made on local radio on Wednesday that Wexford MEP Mick Wallace has been appointed “EU chief negotiator for Iraq’ has been contradicted by a spokesperson for the EU Parliament. And in a new twist tonight, Senator Malcolm Byrne has used social media to describe the actions of MEP’s Mick Wallace and Clare Daly as “just awful.”
A trip by two Irish Members of the European Parliament to visit a headquarters of a militia network in Iraq has been used in a YouTube video to promote the group after the MEPs visited a brigade headquarters of Hashed al-Shaabi in Iraq and criticised American foreign policy in the region.
MICK WALLACE MEP (Pic; YouTube)
Senator Malcolm Byrne claims that MEPs Wallace and Daly visited a Shiite Militant Group that has lured gay people to their deaths. “If their support for Lukashenko in Belarus and Hezbollah in Lebanon was not bad enough, this is really appalling.
“Ireland should always pursue policies in support of the protection of human rights and minorities. This is a core tenet of our foreign policy. These latest actions by two MEPs are just awful,” he concluded.
The trip is believed to have taken place just weeks after US airstrikes hit five of the networks’ bases, which the US Department of Defence said; “housed weapons used to target US and coalition troops.” Video footage of the visit released on the group’s YouTube channel on March 30th, shows Wallace and Daly, the latter dressed in hijab, inspecting a wall tiled with photographs of “martyrs”, before speaking to camera.
A spokesperson for the European Parliament told The Journal that the visit was organised in a private capacity, was not part of an official European Parliament delegation, and does not represent the parliament. It was added that all European Parliament committee trips and inter-parliamentary delegations inside and outside of the EU are cancelled due to the pandemic.
Great news emanating from Bridgetown Community Development Group following almost two years of application forms, tenders and the planning process, the green sods have been turned in the Village Field that represents an investment of €125,000 by Wexford County Council together with Town and Village Renewal and the Bridgetown Steering Group.
Tom Kelly of Paddy Kelly & sons are undertaking the works which will initially consist of a walking track, carpark, land drainage, landscaping and a multi-use all weather sports pitch.
Work begins on the Village Field at Bridgetown that will bring excellent facilities to the village centre.
The landscaping will consist of a park with seated areas, natural features, heritage items and art features. The walking track will include area with outdoor gym equipment. The car park will consist of 16 parking and two disabled parking bays which will service the new facilities and current playground.
Ollie Daly, Chairperson of Bridgetown Steering Group said; “This will be a fantastic facility which we hope will cater for all age groups and people in our village. There are things which we will need help in providing. The Bridgetown steering group will undertake planting, painting and in the future provide lighting for the area (ground works included at the start.
“We want anyone who is willing to come down and give of their time to assist with these physical activities. We will be calling on the young people in our community to assist with the project also. Through Bridgetown Vocational College, FDYS and School completion we will be engaging with young people to meet their needs and provide a safe place for them to meet and socialise. Their help will be greatly appreciated,” added Mr Daly.
There is a list of appreciation that includes committee members Diane Goff, Tracey McCabe, Maurice Cloney, Francis Goff, Phil McCabe, Jim Moore and Eoin Gorry (Bridgetown Pharmacy).
Thanks also goes to Yvonne Byrne consultant with Wexford County Council, Noirín Cummins and Dean Waters of Wexford County Council (Rosslare District). Carolyne Godkin, Director of Community Services and Cllrs Jim Moore, Lisa McDonald, Ger Carthy, Frank Staples and Jim Codd who have worked tirelessly to ensure that Bridgetown gets the facilities it deserves.
Ministerof State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, announced that 477 heritage projects across every county in the country will benefit from a total of €3m under this year’s Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS).
Fourteen projects across County Wexford will share funding of €94,800. Minister Noonan said: “In addition to supporting owners and custodians of historic and protected structures to safeguard and maintain their properties, this funding will also provide a welcome boost to local construction and heritage trades by facilitating works with a total value of over €15.5m and leveraging an estimated 19,000 days’ labour.”
THE WEXFORD LIST IS AS FOLLOWS;
Ballysampson House, Tagoat (stablisation of masonry) €6,500.
Orristown, Killinick (Thatching) €5,300.
Ballinahown House, Oulart (Stabilisation of masonry) €6,750.
Porter Lodge, Castleboro Demesne, Clonroche (Roof repair, structures and coverings including lead work) €7,000.
Yorkville House, Ballinabearna, Monageer (Replacement of outdated services) €8,000.
BELLEVUE CHURCH between the village of Ballyhogue and the River Slaney has been allocated heritage funding.
The announcement follows the decision by Cabinet last week to implement a limited, phased easing of restrictions from April until a substantial level of vaccination has been achieved, in the hope that a full re-opening of construction activity can be considered in early May. It allows owners and custodians to begin to plan for the months ahead. All work must, of course, be carried out in full compliance with Government/HSE guidance on Covid-19.
The BHIS is one of two built heritage funding schemes run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in association with the 31 Local Authorities. Through grants of up to €15,000, the BHIS assists owners of heritage structures – including those on the local authorities’ Record of Protected Structures and those in Architectural Conservation Areas – to meet their obligations to care for their properties.
The scheme is not limited to private dwellings and helps a wide range of other important heritage structures, including on this occasion, churches at Galbally and Ballyhogue.
Irish world boxing champion Kellie Harrington and track and field Olympian, David Gillick will be coming online to homes and schools throughout Wexford and beyond over the coming months until summer holidays begin.
Irish Olympic athlete, David Gillick and world boxing champion, Kellie Harrington have joined the Fyffes Fit Squad team to bring the message of fitness, healthy eating and an active lifestyle to children, parents and teachers between now and summer holidays. Their 12-week fitness programme will be broadcast in a series of videos to be viewed free online at http://www.fyffesfitsquad.ie
Joining the Fyffes Fit Squad team, Kellie and David will broadcast their approach to exercise and fitness in a 12-weeks programme intended to encourage children to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle.
Created so parents and teachers can also participate, content will include new workout routines, warm-up exercises and cool-down stretches as well as tips on overall wellbeing and healthy-eating recipes.
Believed by Kellie and David to be “more important now during lockdown than at any time previously”, the 20-minutes long series of videos will see a new production released each Tuesday and Thursday all free to view on the www.fyffesfitsquad.ie website.
Described as ‘a fun and easy way to keep children fit and active’, live Fit Squad sessions have been attended by over 720 children in Wexford schools since its launch three year ago.
Irish Ferries has announced the addition of the RoRo passenger ferry Blue Star 1 to its Rosslare Europort to Pembroke Dock route and the ship chartered from the Attica Group is expected to commence sailings early this month.
Andrew Sheen, Irish Ferries Managing Director, said: “We are incredibly pleased to add a quality ship of the calibre of the versatile Blue Star 1 to the Irish Ferries fleet.
“This ship will be the fastest RoRo Passenger ship operating between Britain and Ireland and this will help ensure schedule integrity.
“The introduction of this ship underlines our commitment to the Rosslare to Pembroke route, the primary shipping corridor between Ireland and South Wales.
It also underlines our commitment to the significant contribution that this route makes in facilitating trade for both exporters and importers as well as facilitating essential passenger movements and future tourists as the country re-opens post COVID-19.”
Blue Star 1 was built in 2000 by the Van der Giessen de Noord shipyard in the Netherlands, the same shipyard that in 1997 built Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore, currently servicing the Rosslare to Pembroke Dock route.
The Blue Star 1 has the capacity to carry up to 1,500 passengers, 100 freight vehicles and up to 700 cars depending on freight volume.
The ship offers a host of quality facilities including 192 cabins for freight drivers /passengers, self-service restaurant, café/bar, Club Class lounge, onboard duty-free shop, children’s play area and spacious outdoor decks.
Wexford County Council together with, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford City and County Councils are supporting a new Anti-Dog Fouling awareness campaign asking dog owners to clean up after their dog. The campaign promotes a simple message… “Bag It & Bin It”.
Cllr Ger Carthy, An Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council launched the campaign on Wednesday. In attendance on the day was Hugh Maguire, Environment Officer and Cabrini Desmond, Dog Warden, Wexford County Council. Cllr Carthy stated; There are some dog owners who do not clean up after their dog and some who clean up but leave the bag on a wall, tree or ground when nobody is watching. We believe that a relatively small proportion of dog owners behave in this way but it has a big impact on others who use our public spaces; children, walkers, wheelchair users, runners, ball players, etc. Whether you walk your dog on a street, in a park or on a beach, the message is simple… Bag It & Bin It.”
The campaign will run for the remainder of 2021 and is set to firmly emphasise that dog fouling is the responsibility of the dog owner. The campaign will address a range of issues surrounding dog fouling, from its effect on the public who use streets, parks and beaches, to attitudes to cleaning up as dog owners, from health issues to civic pride. The campaign will reach across social media, local newspapers, radio, community groups and schools.
Hugh Maguire, Environment Officer said; “We regularly receive complaints about dog fouling from around the county, ranging from owners not picking up after their dog, to those who bag it but leave it on a nearby wall or corner when nobody is watching or to those who simply look the other way as their dog fouls on a green area. The message to anyone who walks a dog could not be simpler… Bag It & Bin It. If you do not pass a bin on your walk home, then simply put the bag in your black bin when you reach your home. It may not be the most glamorous part of owning a dog, but it is part and parcel of it all the same. In this campaign we are asking all dog owners to Bag It & Bin It.
The RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard are urging people spending time on or near the water during the Easter break to take note of the relevant water safety advice for their activity and to raise the alarm if they see someone in trouble by dialling 999 or 112 and asking for the Coast Guard.
The Easter break falls early this year and recent call outs for the search and rescue resources have seen a noted increase in requests to assist walkers cut off by the tide and people getting into difficulty while engaging in open water swimming.
Both organisations emphasise the importance of adherence with Government guidelines on 5 km travel and other Covid related restrictions. With many people who live near the coast, exercising on or alongside the water, the Coast Guard and the RNLI are requesting the public to be cautious when engaging in any coastal or water-based activity.
OLD BAWN STRAND in North Wexford where the 5km travel restrictions are part of Covid-19 guidelines.
Kevin Rahill, RNLI Water Safety Manager, said: ‘We are asking people to think about their own safety. Coastal areas and our inland waterways provide a great opportunity to enjoy fresh air and open space, but it is important to remember that while air temperatures may be warming up in Spring and early Summer, water temperatures remain dangerously cold between 8-10°, increasing the risk of cold water shock. And, if you are out for a walk on the beach, make sure to check the tide times to avoid being cut off by a rising tide.”
Irish Coast Guard, Head of Operations Gerard O’Flynn added; “The past year has seen an increase in activities such as open water swimming, and incidents relating to use of inflatable toys which are unsuitable for open water. Please always be mindful of your personal safety and always ensure that you have a means of communication should you get into difficulty.”
“This Holy Week and Easter, I invite you to focus primarily upon that opportunity – “to reconcile with God and neighbour” – for this is the ultimate and primary fruit of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“Again, this year, we cannot celebrate Holy Week and Easter as we would normally do.
“Many parishes are looking at ways of “taking Holy Week and Easter to your homes” – palm crosses, prayer books and leaflets, colouring resources for children, Easter water bottles and prayer cards – and I would ask that you join in that effort.
BISHOP DENIS BRENNAN
“If out for a walk on Easter Sunday, call and collect any resources that your parish might have available. Get the schedule for online broadcasts from the parish, have a look at the national and indeed international broadcasts too.
“Irrespective of the restrictions, we can participate in prayer, through personal reflection, openness to a better relationship with God and neighbour, we can visit our local church and engage with the opportunities and resources that our parish is providing.
“In conclusion, I would like to say a word of gratitude to the priests, the staff and the volunteers in our parishes.
“I am also acutely aware of the isolation of priests themselves and of the toll that being restricted in their ministry is taking.
“I ask that public worship resumes as soon as possible.
“I thank the hundreds of people who have made themselves available to ensure that our churches are the safest of spaces for parishioners.
“Finally, I invite you to continue purposefully on the journey through the pandemic by engaging with a high standard of hygiene, safety and adopting-afresh the mantra to “be heart, keep heart and give heart.”
“Let us look forward to meeting once again in person in our churches and parishes when possible.”
Waiting lists concerns at Wexford General Hospital were aired on tonight’s edition of RTE’s Prime Time by Wexford Independent Deputy Verona Murphy who was on the programme to comment on today’s Covid-19 plan announcement by An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin.
DEPUTY VERONA MURPHY was on RTE’s PRIME TIME
Deputy Murphy said the people have lost confidence and Level 5 is not working. She added that people have abandoned it and that anecdotal evidence can be seen by the increase of traffic on roads.
Asked about today’s plan, Deputy Murphy replied: “I want to see what is behind the plan! There is no plan. We never had the numbers. The numbers were misguided in the Dail they were misguided by the Minister for Health (Stephen Donnelly) and now we don’t even know what the numbers are? We are still recruiting vaccinators. We are being asked for birth certificates and junior certificates at a time when we are supposed to be getting a million vaccines.
“We needed a plan that we would have the ICU beds to prevent our hospitals being overwhelmed – a plan that shows we have the testing and traceability.”
“I think people are very angry,” said Deputy Murphy who displayed on screen a copy of today’s Wexford People newspaper and alluded to the banner headline “an increase of 69% in our hospital figures” which actually transpires to be 2,200 people on a list at Wexford General Hospital which she claimed is due to “mismanagement of Covid.”
Asked by the presenter Louise Byrne what she thought NEPHET had got wrong? Deputy Murphy replied; “We don’t know because anybody who voices a contrary opinion isn’t heard – they are shut down” and she claimed that last year Sam McConkey claimed that 4 million people would get Covid and 80,000 people would die. That has not happened.”
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