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Council Honours Unsung Heroes

The sixth annual Cathaoirleach’s Awards Ceremony, in many respects the social highlight of Sligo County Council’s calendar was hosted in the County Hall in Riverside, Sligo on Friday 26th May 2006.

The ceremony opened with a word of welcome from the Cathaoirleach – Cllr Patsy Barry, who expressed thanks to those who took the time to submit nomination forms and acknowledged that “the nominators participation in the annual awards scheme lies at the heart of its success”.

Admiration for the nominees was also conveyed by the Cathaoirleach stating that “in a time where there are serious demands on people’s time it is heartening that the ethos and practice of voluntary service is thriving in the Sligo Community”.

In all, forty three nominations were received across the six categories. Each nominee was presented with a Certificate in recognition of their nomination and each category award winner received a beautifully commissioned framed piece of Sligo Crystal together with a cheque for €200. The winners were: Arts – South Sligo Macra Na Feirme Club; Heritage – Eugene O’Connor, Rathtermon; Sports – Pegasus, Grange; Community – Seamus McCormack, Altvelid; National School – S.N. Réalt na Mara, Rosses Point; Environment - Tony Clarke, Cranmore; Best Presented Nomination Ransboro Development Association.

The night proved a huge success and this was evident in the large crowd in attendance. In conclusion of the ceremony, Cathaoirleach Cllr Patsy Barry thanked everyone who attended the ceremony. He emphasised “that all the nominees were worthy winners” and commended each of them for the valuable role they play in their respective communities.

Members of the 2006 award’s committee were Cathaoirleach Cllr. Patsy Barry, Cllr. Michael Fleming, Cllr. Paul Conmy, Cllr. Martin Baker, Cllr. Veronica Cawley and Fergus McNabb, Administrative Officer.

Groups Schemes take the lead in Water Conservation

A €2.8M contract signed at Sligo County Council offices will be of major benefit to Group Water Schemes in their efforts to address the ongoing issue of water conservation.

The contract for the metering of Private Group Water Schemes and Critical Mains Replacement was signed at County Hall, and this development was welcomed by the Chairman of Sligo’s Rural Water Monitoring Committee, Councillor Gerry Murray. ‘I think the Group Schemes in County Sligo are among the most hard- working and progressive in the country. Over the next few weeks the work on the development of eleven new schemes will be completed, and this will see a quality water supply delivered to around 2,000 households, and also a number of farms, businesses and schools.’

Sligo County Council’s Liaison Officer for Group Schemes, Kathleen McTiernan commended the Group Schemes for the active way in which they addressed the issue of water conservation.

‘We have an excellent working relationship with the various Group Scheme Committees. They share our objective to improve water efficiency by identifying and implementing a series of water conservation measures, whether in the home, in the business or on the land.’

The €2.8m metering metering and critical mains contract was awarded to Carty Contractors, Sligo, with the work expected to start in the coming weeks.

WATER EFFICIENCY ACTIONS

Some actions that you can take to make your water-use more efficient

Water Efficiency Actions for all Farms

These water efficiency measures could be applied on most farms and many are low or no cost options. 

Leaks

There are two main ways to check for leaks:

Visual Checks

Check the ground above your pipes to look for visible signs of a leak.  Such signs can include:

• Unusually damp ground
• Lusher  than expected vegetation (for a recent leak);
• Reduced vegetation (for a long-term leak, because of reduced soil quality).

Taps and hosepipes

Fix dripping taps promptly and, where taps are used regularly, consider fitting automatic shut-off valves to ensure that they are not left running when unattended.  Fitting self-closing trigger nozzles to hosepipes will help you to:

Control the flow of water

• Direct the water more accurately to where it is needed;
• Eliminate wastage when the hose is unattended.  Check the nozzles on a regular basis to ensure that they are free from blockages and damage. 

Washing and Cleaning

Dry-cleaning techniques, such as scrapers, squeegees and brushes, can be used to remove solid waste from yards and pens before they are cleaned with water.  This will reduce the amount of water used, as well as the quantity of dirty water requiring treatment, storage and disposal. 

Top Tip

Pre-soak

If it takes a lot of water and effort to clean your parlour after milking, you could use a small amount of water (a bucket or so) to lightly wet the parlour first.  This will make the muck stick less, reducing the amount of water that you will need to use to clean after milking.
 

Alternative Sources Of Water

Rainwater

Rain collected from the roofs of farm buildings can be re-used for a variety of activities, including washing down yards and stock watering. How much rainwater you can use depends on:

How much rain you receive - If you do not know your annual rainfall, the meteorological office (Met Eireann) can provide this information.

How much you can collect - This will vary depending upon the size, slope and material that your roof is made from.  Do not collect the water if your roof is made from or coated with, bitumen, metals other than stainless steel, or concrete containing asbestos. 

Calculating Collectable Water

Collectable rainwater (litres) = roof area (m2) x drainage factor filter efficiency x annual rainfall (mm)

Drainage Factor 

This allows for evaporation that occurs when water is retained in irregularities in the roofing material.  The factor can be viewed as the percentage of the rainwater that will flow off the roof.  Examples of factors for different roof types are given in the table below. 

Filter Efficiency

Filters designed specifically for rainwater collection will reject the first flush of rainwater which carries any contaminants (such as leaves or bird droppings) off the roof.  High quality filters typically have an efficiency of 90 per cent and thus a factor of 0.9.  The manufacturer will be able to supply this model-specific efficiency rating. 

Example

A farm building with a pitched roof area of 300m2, using a downpipe filter unit with an efficiency of 90 per cent, in an area with 1,200 mm annual rainfall would yield 300 x 0.9 x 0.9 x 1,200 = 291,600 litres of rainwater annually. 

Roof	Type	Drainage Factor
Pitched	Roof Tiles	0.75 - 0.9
Flat Roof	Smooth Tiles	0.5
Flat Roof	with Gravel Layer	0.4 - 0.5

How much you can store

This depends up on the space that you have for storage and the demand that you have for the water.  For regular demand such as stock watering, you will only need to store a few days' requirement.  Irregular but water demanding uses such as irrigation will probably require a large tank.

Rainwater harvesting is particularly suited to dairy farms, as they tend to be located in the wetter areas of the country and have a regular demand for water.  A study by the english Environment Agency has found that a typical dairy farm could meet 20 per cent of its water-use with rainwater. 

Water Efficiency Actions For Dairy Farms

Re-use of plate cooling water

It is possible to re-use plate cooling water for watering stock or washing down the collecting yards.  Cows may even prefer warm drinking water, especially in the winter!  Re-using plate cooling water will not only reduce the quantity of water taken from the mains supply, but will also reduce the quantity of water requiring treatment, storage and disposal. 

Fact: Plate coolers use between 2 and 3 litres of water for each litre of milk cooled.  For a 150 cow herd, yielding 22 litres of milk per cow, a plate cooler will use up to 9,900 litres of water each day.  Compare this to the drinking requirements of the same herd - they drink approximately 10,500 litres of water each day. 

Water Troughs

Overflowing water troughs and incorrectly set or damaged ball-valves can waste significant amounts of water.  Ball valves can be adjusted to lower the float so that there is less risk of spillage and overflowing.  Troughs should be drained when not in use during the winter to reduce frost damage. 

Fact: A leaking ball-valve in a water trough can waste up to 150m3 of water per year - this is nearly the same annual water consumption as a family of four.  A fractured ball-valve can waste up to 2,000 m3, which is enough water to meet the drinking requirements of 80 cows in milk for a whole year.

Water Efficiency Actions For Pig And Poultry Farms

Animal drinkers

Regularly check the water drinkers to make sure they are securely fastened and there are no blockages.  When replacing drinkers, consider investing in an alternative design, such as ripple and cup drinkers in poultry units or bite-type drinkers in bowls within a pig unit, as these reduce the amount of water wasted by the animals playing with the drinkers. 

Water efficiency actions for irrigators

By making effective and efficient use of your irrigation water you will be able to make your resources go further and potentially and more value to your crops.  Some suggestions are listed below:

Pump and pipe size - Make sure that you are using the correct pump and pipe size - trying to pump too much water through a small pipe will increase friction (reducing pressure at the end) and increase the chance of a leak occurring.

Boom irrigation instead of gun irrigation for fields will apply water more accurately, improving efficiency and resulting in a better quality crop.

Trickle irrigation for certain crop types such as ornamental trees can greatly reduce water consumption.

Don't irrigate when it is windy as this will result in uneven application and, if you are using a spray gun, may result in drift of the water onto areas that do not need watering. 

Irrigate at night as this will reduce the amount of water that evaporates and is lost to your crops. 

Schedule your irrigation according to accepted methods which take account of evapotranspiration or soil moisture deficits as this will result in more effective use of limited supplies.  Commercial advisers can assist with prioritising crops and fields in terms of water need. 

Equipment - Regularly check the condition of your pumps, mains and hydrants and repair worn items such as seals.  Also, ensure that seals are tight to prevent water wastage. 

Water Efficiency Actions For Vegetable Washing

Many farms are now required to wash vegetables before sale to customers and this offers great potential for water efficiency;

Recycling and re-use - Instead of letting wash water go to waste, it can be recycled for use in wash cycles that do not need such a high quality of water, or even cleaned and recycled for high quality use.

Irrigation - If it is of a sufficient quality, wash water can be stored and used for irrigation purposes rather than letting it go to waste.

Water Efficiency Actions In The Farmhouse

Water-use minimisation should not be seen just as a business issue, as experience has shown that the most successful waste minimisation schemes are those where staff are encouraged to be waterwise at home as well as at work.  There are many ways of cutting down on water-use in the home without compromising on either comfort or hygiene. 

In the kitchen

Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl rather than under a running tap and use the waste water for watering houseplants.  By using only the minimum amount of water required when you boil water in saucepans and kettles, you will save both water and energy.  Make sure that you have a full load before switching on the dishwater or washing machine, because half-load programmes use more than half the water and energy of a full load. 

In the bathroom

Turn the tap off while you brush your teeth or shave and try taking a quick shower instead of a bath.  Old toilet cisterns can use as much as 9 litres of clean water every flush.  You can reduce this by placing a device in the cistern that displaces some of the volume. 

Fact: A five-minute shower uses about a third of the water of a bath, but remember that power showers can use more water than a bath in less than 5 minutes. 

SLIGO LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Waste Water Treatment Facilities for Sligo City

Sligo Main Drainage Project - Waste Water Treatment Works

Design Build Operate (DBO) Contract
Construction Period 2006-2008

"Providing for sustainable development and the protection of a quality environment in Sligo Bay"The multiple benefits of construction a new wastewater treatment works in Sligo are:

• Compliance with EU directive on Urban Waste Water Treatment
• Reduced threat of pollution of Sligo Bay
• Elimination of unsightly discharges of untreated waste water at the current outfall
• Protection of existing mariculture in Sligo Bay
• Protection of Blue Flag Status of Rosses Point
• Enable Sligo City to develop in a planned manner for residential, commercial & industrial activities providing for growth up to the year 2025
• Design Capacity 50,000 population equivalent (pe) with provision to extend to 80,000 pe

SLIGO LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Delivering quality water to Sligo and its Environs

The Sligo & Environs Water Supply Scheme is dedicated to providing real benefits for people who live work or visit the region, ensuring a better, cleaner environment for all

The total design capacity provided for in the city of Sligo is now 25,000 m3/day with provision to add a further 5,500m3/day.

Sligo and Environs Water Supply Scheme Plants

• EXISTING PLANTS

  Kilsellagh Water Treatment Plant
  Present production 7,200 m3/day
  6,380 m3/day to Sligo Urban
  820 m3/day to Rosses Point, Ballincar
  
  Carns Hill Ozone Treatment Plant
  Present production 7,200 m3/day or 100% capacity
  
  Foxes' Den Water Treatment Plant
  Designed for 11,000 m3/day (with provision for expansion to 16,500 m3/day)
  Operation & Maintenance contract in place for a 10 year duration.  September 2001 - September 2011.
  Present Production 8,500 m3/day or 77% of existing capacity.

• UNDER CONSTRUCTION

  Kilsellagh Water Treatment Plant Upgrading - Completion 2008
  Stage II of the scheme, which is now at construction, will provide 8,000 m3 of quality domestic water to service existing demands.

• PLANNED

  Extension to Foxes' Den Water Treatment Plant
  Stage III will provide the additional 5,500 m3/day at the Foxes' Den.   This additional capacity is included in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Water Services Investment Programme 2005-2007.

Are you one of the 65% of people who would volunteer if asked? Well Sligo Volunteer Centre is asking!

Sligo Volunteer Centre currently has volunteer opportunities that range from demonstrating a skill to a group, driving a mini bus, assisting groups with social outings, sport & recreation and much more!

Volunteering is a great way to get involved in your local community and to meet people. It is also a great way of using your skills or even learning new ones!!

Sligo Volunteer Centre is holding a number of drop in information sessions around the county throughout the month of June. This is supported by local Community Forum representatives. We invite both community group representatives and anybody interested in volunteering to drop in and have a chat with Volunteer Centre staff, browse through our vacancies and find out more.

The dates for the sessions are as follows:

Thursday 1st June
Northside Community Centre, Forthill
12.00 pm - 5.00 pm

Thursday 8th June
One Stop Shop Tubbercurry
4.00 pm - 8.00 pm

Monday 12th June
Merville Community Centre, Maugheraboy
3.00 pm - 7.00 pm

Thursday 15th June
Strandhill National School
6.00 pm -8.00 pm

Wednesday 21st June
Easkey Enterprise Centre 4.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Monday 26th June Ballymote Family Resource Centre
4.00 pm-7.30 pm

We hope to see you at one of our information sessions. If you want to find out more about the Sligo Volunteer Centre, please contact Ciara on (071) 9111813 or email info@volunteersligo.ie.
You can find out more information on our website which will be coming on stream shortly at www.volunteersligo.ie.
 

Bealtaine Festival

The annual Bealtaine festival took place throughout Sligo during the month of May. Organised by the Sligo Arts Department at Sligo County Council in conjunction with the Health Services Executive North Western Area, Bealtaine incorporates a range of artforms including literature, dance, music and visual art. The main aim of the festival is to provide and promote opportunities in the arts for older people as well as offering a focus for celebrating the contributions of older artists.

The County Arts Office has collaborated with the Health Service Executive North Western Area and many community and local groups, in particular Active Age Groups, in organising this arts festival for and by older people. The continued and sustained partnership between the Arts office and the Health Service Executive over the last number of years has enabled the Bealtine Festival to grow from small beginnings’ to one that is celebrated throughout Sligo and the North West. The Health Service Executive and the Arts office recognise the strong role a range of art forms have in the well being of older people. In previous years the launch was held at the Primary Health Care Unit at Markievicz House, but due to increasing interest in the festival, this year’s launch took place at the Clarion Hotel.

Among the many events organized throughout the months were an open evening hosted by Screen Active Age Group exhibiting a variety of craftwork including pottery, card making and fabric painting. Further entertainment was available at the Enniscrone Day Centre with a traditional music performance and an exhibition of artwork. St John’s Hospital hosted an exhibition of work that was created by the residents throughout the year. The Cliffoney ‘Young at Heart’ Active Age Group have been actively involved in the arts for several years and members have published and read their work at many public events. This year they held their annual Bealtaine Exhibition in Cliffoney Hall and they are hosting the renowned Maugherarow Intergenerational Project.

Council Hosts Book Launch on 7 June

For the past two years Jack Harte has been writing a novel commissioned by Sligo County Council under the Per Cent for Art scheme. It is the first time that a local authority has used the scheme to commission a novel. In the Wake of the Bagger will be published for the Council by Scotus Press, and launched in the Yeats Memorial Building by the Cathaoirleach, CouncillorPatsy Barry on Wednesday 7th June at 7.30pm. All are welcome to attend.

In the wake of the Bagger was commissioned as part of the Local Authorities’ public art series, Unravelling Developments . Harte stresses that it is a work of fiction but is based closely and intimately on his childhood experiences and those of his family who moved from Killeenduff, near Easkey, as economic migrants to the Midlands in the Fifties. Apart from following the fortunes of the fictional Dowd family, the novel is also a very authentic reconstruction of life in Ireland in the Fifties, and a meditation on Time and Change. For further details, please see the Arts Features page of  www.sligoarts.ie

Affordable Housing Opportunities in Enniscrone and Strandhill

A small number of affordable houses will be available shortly in the Enniscrone and Strandhill
areas. The following criteria will apply:

• A first time buyer in need of housing and in full-time employment
• An existing tenant/tenant purchaser who wishes to surrender a Local Authority house and is in a position to finance an affordable loan
• Income limits apply in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme

If you wish to be considered and have not already submitted an application, further details and Application Forms are available from the Housing Department, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo. Tel: (071) 911 1302, Fax: (071) 911 1321, E-Mail: kkane@sligococo.ie

Social Housing Plans for Lower Abbey Street and Ballytivnan

Sligo Borough Council’s proposals to develop social housing at Lower Abbey Street and Elm Gardens, Ballytivnan took a further step recently with the contract signing at City Hall. The successful contactors are Cawley and Scanlon Construction Ltd who have an ambitious project ahead of them.

The site at Lower Abbey Street currently has four units, two of which are in a derelict state and the remainder are in need of total refurbishment. The proposed development includes the demolition of the existing units and the construction of five 3 bed, three storey, terraced townhouse units with direct street frontage and landscaped patio/garden to the rear.  The infill development of three storey units is in context of the existing streetscape.

The site at Elm Gardens is located within Elm Gardens estate that forms a triangular piece of disused land. The proposed works will consist of the construction of four single storey, two bedroom terraced units with front and rear gardens.

Ballymote Librarian Retires

Ann Flanagan retires after many years service as Ballymote Librarian

Ballymote gets a Clean Sweep!

Sligo County Council is encouraging businesses in Ballymote to participate in the county-wide anti-litter campaign entitled ‘Operaion Clean Sweep’ by sponsoring street brushes to assist them to stamp out the problem of litter in the town. This latest phase of the ‘Operation Clean Sweep’ campaign was launched last week when the Litter Warden and Environmental Awareness Officer distributed brushes door-to-door to businesses in Ballymote. This phase of the campaign will be rolled out throughout the county in the coming months.

Litter Warden, Aideen Feeney, has been working closely with businesses in Ballymote over recent months to investigate incidences of illegal dumping and issue fines to litter offenders. “Operation Clean Sweep has been widely welcomed by businesses in Ballymote who are

• Grade A – Litter Free
• Grade B – Slightly Littered
• Grade C – Moderately Littered
• Grade D – Heavily Littered.

A Secondary Schools Litter Forum will be established with students agreeing to monitor approximately twenty sites in their locality three times over the school year. The survey area will cover the town of Ballymote and environs. Results of the first survey will form a baseline result from which improvements or deterioration will be marked against. Once the results are compiled they will be put on display in the Enterprise Centre, Ballymote.

Litter Pickers, bags & gloves were distributed to the Tidy Towns Committee and a number of school and community groups from Ballymote participated in the National Spring Clean campaign in April.

Litter Awareness signage and posters have been distributed around the town and businesses have to be commended for their support of this campaign.

However, there are still a number of issues to be tackled which include the installation of new litter bins and the relocation of the recycling bring banks which have to be moved owing to the presence of overhead cables.

Cully Bridge Replacement Works

This two span bridge at Cully, (near the village of Curry), crosses the Mullaghanoe River, a tributary to the River Moy. The old masonry abutments and centre pier were supporting a concrete bridge deck in very poor condition. On demolition of the bridge deck it was found that the old abutments would be unable to support a new bridge deck, despite preliminary site investigations to the contrary. New abutments were designed. The existing bridge was removed and replaced with a new two span integral bridge deck of approximately 13.2m span at its original location on reinforced concrete abutments and pier. Galvanised steel bridge parapets were installed.

The OPW and NW Fisheries Board were fully consulted throughout the project. During construction of the new bridge a temporary route was provided across the river by means of a large steel culvert. Poor ground conditions and rapidly rising water levels made these working conditions very difficult. Most of the work was carried out by the Council’s outdoor staff including James Cahill, John Cahill and Michael Carroll. The more specialised work was carried out by Dermot Dooney Ltd. Accommodation works, primarily new fencing was also required. The project was funded by a Special Improvement Grant of €190,000, however the requirement for new abutments and flood delays increased the final out turn to €205,000, which was extremely good value for money. The project was designed and supervised by Dessie Sloyan and Gary Salter, Structures and Marine Section, Infrastructural Directorate.

WATER SAFETY

Safety on the beach is the responsibility of all users.  During the bathing season (June- August), safety is enhanced by the presence of beach wardens and beach guards on Sligo’s most popular beaches.

This service is provided by Sligo County Council and in total 15 qualified beach guards/wardens are employed each year. All lifeguards are fully qualified, holding the Beach Life Guard Award.

Beach guards and wardens will be dressed uniformly for easy identification and are stationed at the red/yellow beach hut. First Aid treatment, advice on swimming conditions, safety information and emergency contact numbers are available from the staff on duty.

During the month of June the service is operated at weekends only with two beach guards at Enniscrone, Mullagmore and Rosses Point. During the busier months of July and August there are three beach guards patrolling each beach from 11.00am to 7.00pm each day, and at weekends on Dunmoran beaches.

Strandhill Beach differs from the other strands in County Sligo because swimming is strictly prohibited at this location. For safety reasons the beach front is patrolled during the months of July and August by Beach Wardens who advise members of the public of the danger and to ensure that no swimming takes place in these very dangerous waters.

The Beachguards role on each beach is to provide a rescue service for bathers who get into difficulty, and to advise and provide safety information and administer first aid treatment in the event of an emergency. Beach staff are also authorised under the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 & 2003, this means they can issue on-the-spot fines to individuals that throw litter, leave waste after them or allow their dogs to foul in public places but do not clean up after them.

Sligo County Council urges all beach users to be vigilant by:

• Noting the flag status on the beach.
  Red flag ~ danger
  Red-yellow flag ~ beach guard on duty
  No flag ~ no beach guard on duty
• Reading the safety information on the blue flag beach notice boards.
• Not swimming within 1 hour of consuming food.
• Not using inflatable/ floatation devices when off shore winds are blowing.

Sligo County Council urges all beach users to consider others by:

• Keeping your dog under effective control at all times - i.e. on a leash.
• Clearing up after your pet should it foul on the beach or in a public place.

Support & Development Worker appointed to work with Sligo County Community Forum
Sligo County Community Forum in association with Sligo County Council is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Rita Ann Burke to the post of Support and Development Worker. Rita Ann, a native of Skreen, Co. Sligo has been a member of Skreen & Dromard Community Council for the past 14 years. She has been a member of Sligo County Community Forum since 2002 and is delighted to bring her vast experience of community and voluntary groups both locally and nationally to this new position. Rita Ann’s work will concentrate on developing and nurturing the Local Area Fora within the 5 electoral areas of the county. She is looking forward to the challenges and is enthusiastic about the work ahead ensuring that Sligo County Community Forum continues to grow and remain the strong voice it is for the Community & Voluntary sector in County Sligo.

Speaking on behalf of Sligo County Community Forum, Mr. Tom McGettrick, Chairperson, announced that he believes that “this appointment will help the Forum and the Community and Voluntary sector as a whole in County Sligo continue to express their concerns in relation to issues that directly affect our community”.

Rita Ann will be based in Sligo County Council Community & Enterprise Offices, Development Centre, Cleveragh Road, Sligo. Telephone 071 9111814. The appointment is part-time and her working hours are 9am to 2pm, Monday through Thursday. Email – communityforum@sligococo.ie

Cranmore Regeneration Project

After many months of Consultation the Draft Framework Plan for Cranmore Regeneration has been adopted by members of Sligo Borough Council and the Cranmore Regeneration Steering Committee. The Draft Plan was formally presented to the Cranmore Steering Committee in March in City Hall for their approval and endorsement in advance of the submission to the Department. The Steering Committee welcomed the proposals for the regeneration of Cranmore and formally approved the plans going forward to the Department for approval and funding. At the monthly meeting in April, members of Sligo Borough Council were given a formal presentation by Project Leader Jennifer Murphy and Executive Architect Marian O’Callaghan outlining the process involved in the developing the plan and the key proposals contained in the plan. Councillors welcomed the Draft Plan and formally adopted and approved the proposals going forward to the Department. In advance of the formal adoptions and endorsements, the Draft Framework Plan went on exhibition in the Abbeyquarter Community Centre during and ‘Open Day’ held on March 15th to allow residents of Cranmore to view and discuss the plans with the Project Team. Over one hundred residents of Cranmore visited the open day and the feedback was generally very positive for the key proposals of the draft plan.

Running alongside the development of the Framework Strategy for the physical regeneration of Cranmore is the development of a Social Plan for the integration and co-ordination of service delivery to the Cranmore Community. The Social Plan is being developed by an interagency working group made of the Community and Service Providers in Cranmore. The key themes of the Social Plan are Training, Adult Education and Employment; Housing and Estate Management; Crime and Policing and Youth Services and Programmes. The project aims to completely transform what is the largest housing estate in Sligo and the Northwest. Cranmore consists of over 500 houses in total.

Key aims of the Draft Framework Plan.

• Provide good quality creation space. Create playground and multipurpose sports facilities within Cranmore. Relocate competitive sports facilities to Cleveragh.
• Develop a neighbourhood focus in the centre. Provide a Neighbourhood Centre to accommodate community facilities, development of childcare facilities, space for training and education and local service delivery
• Maximise safety and security in the area. Close off alleyways. Increase parking spaces. Cut off short-cuts through the estate.
• Create clear and identifiable neighbourhoods. Create distinguishable neighbourhoods within the estate each with its own sense of place and identity. Detailed landscaping of the entire estate.
• Invest in quality housing. Refurbish Sligo Borough Council housing. Improve heating for Clúid housing. Provide options for private households to refurbish housing. Provide a mix of affordable, private and social housing including sheltered housing for the elderly living within Cranmore.

An application for funding will now be submitted to the Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government. A decision is expected by mid- late summer, which will pave the way for regeneration of the Cranmore estate. Anyone wishing to view or discuss the proposals in the Draft Framework Plan should contact Jennifer Murphy, Project Leader at (071) 9149178 or call to Project Office at 37 Racecourse View, Cranmore.

Recycling Show is Magic!

An environmental show for young people is being run in the Blackbox Theatre Space in the Model & Niland Gallery, The Mall, Sligo over the weekend of June 10th & 11th at 2.00 p.m.

‘Recycling the Magical Way’ uses colour, drama and a little magic to gain the attention of young people, in an effort to promote good waste management habits. The performances are sponsored by Sligo County Council and Sligo Borough Council under the Environment Partnership Fund.

The show highlights the issue of overflowing bins, excessive waste, and the problems that refuse creates if not dealt with effectively. The performances demonstrate good waste management habits in a refreshing and upbeat manner, ultimately the message is that everyone must try harder to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Magician Marvin and his hilarious friend ‘Verne the Bird’ discuss many aspects of waste and recycling and the show ends with a fundamental waste message for us all. Presenter of the show Kelvin Moore alias ‘Magician Marvin’ has taken a number of months to put this fun learning experience together on behalf of the sponsoring Local Authorities. Kelvin is a magician, storyteller and puppeteer. He has combined skills to highlight the waste issue in an attention-grabbing manner.

The Local Authorities hope that this project will reinforce the great work that many students are involved in through the Green Schools Programme and spur others to take action on waste both in school and at home.

For further information contact the Environment Section, Sligo County Council at 071- 9111902.

Waste Management for Garages

The Waste Enforcement Section of Sligo County Council is embarking on a series of waste management surveys and inspections of commercial premises to ascertain how waste is being managed to ensure that waste management legislation is being complied with.

Motor Trade Industry

Initially, the Waste Enforcement Officers will be working with the motor trade industry to assist them to minimise their waste and advise on best practice in recycling the various waste types.

“A garage produces a wide range of wastes in the course of its daily business. Many of the common waste types produced by the motor trade are listed as hazardous waste and if they are not disposed of or recycled properly they have the potential to pollute and damage our environment”, said Matthew Byrne, Waste Enforcement Officer.

In the motor trade the following wastes can be classified as hazardous:

Waste oils, used oil filters, oily rags, empty oil top-up bottles, antifreeze liquid, car batteries, unused and excess car paint & solvents and old tyres.

Tyres

It is no longer permissible to landfill tyres.  They must only be given to a person  with a suitable waste collection permit. It is an offence to give waste to anybody else.

Every effort should be made to identify tyres suitable for re-threading or remoulding. Under no circumstances should scrap tyres be supplied for use on a bonfire and scrap tyres should always be kept secure to prevent the possibility of them being removed for this or any other illegal purpose.

It is not permissible to pass old tyres onto a farmer, unless the farmer has a waste permit.

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste is a special category of waste. This type of waste must be tracked from the producer (i.e. garage owner) to its final disposal, destruction or reuse. The movement and storage of hazardous waste must comply with additional requirements, including record keeping and transport by competent carriers in possession of a valid waste collection permit.

A C1 Form must accompany any movement of hazardous waste within Ireland and Transfrontier Shipment (TFS) documentation is needed for transfer of hazardous waste outside the Republic of Ireland.

For further information on any of the above contact the Environment Section, Sligo County Council, Tel: 071-9111111 or check on www.connaughtwaste.ie for information on permit holders.

On-Site Treatment Systems

In the interests of protecting our water quality, Sligo County Council has recognised the importance of designing on-site treatment systems which take account the characteristics of the site and the vulnerability of groundwater resources. The key to protecting water quality is to ensure that new development is guided towards sites where acceptable wastewater treatment and disposal facilities can be provided. The identification of suitable sites is largely dependent upon the quality of site suitability assessments being undertaken by consultants in preparing applications for planning permission.

With a view to improving the quality of information submitted for planning permission, it is recommended that applications for developments which include an on-site treatment system should have the site suitability assessment prepared by a member of a panel approved by Sligo County Council. For a full listing of approved assessors please view the Sligo County Council web-site at www.sligococo.ie or Tel: 071-9111111.

Rosie Morrissey, Environmental Scientist with Sligo County Council outlines the requirements for the provision of on-site treatment systems for houses not served by a public sewerage system.

In the past many planning applications which included on-site treatment systems had the following defects:

• Inadequate/Inaccurate Information
• Site Assessment and system design not in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency Manual
• Unsuitable Sites Selected.

This invariably resulted in delays in the Planning Process, requests for further information and in some cases refusals of planning permission with the applicant’s time and money being wasted. The employment of consultants from the approved panel should ensure that only sites suitable for on-site systems are submitted for consideration. This should lead to a more efficient service for the public.

Reliable Low Cost Service

Houses located in rural areas, not served by public sewers, depend on either a septic tank system or a proprietary effluent treatment (PET) system to treat and dispose of wastewater. A properly designed, installed and maintained system can provide years of reliable low-cost service.

When systems fail to operate effectively, ground and surface water pollution, property damage, health risks and odour nuisance can occur. In this article, the Environment Section of Sligo County Council outline the steps that are needed to be taken to ensure that environmental pollution does not occur and that householders comply with planning guidelines.

The crucial elements of an on site treatment system are as follows:

• Site assessment
• System design
• Installation
• Maintenance

Site Assessment

An accurate site assessment is the key element to the provision of an efficient on-site treatment system. The site assessment should be one of the first tasks undertaken when considering buying a site and/or designing a house. If a site assessment fails, planning permission will not be granted for that site.

The overall responsibility for attaining accurate site assessment and the recommendation of an effluent treatment system should be done by a qualified site assessor. An assessor considers a wide variety of environmental factors such as soil depth and type, water table levels and proximity to wells and watercourses etc. to assess its suitability for effluent treatment.

Sligo County Council has formed a panel of consultants with particular expertise in the area of assessing the suitability of sites for treating effluent. Sligo County Council requires that applicants for one off houses in the country-side should engage the services of one of these consultants to carry out the site assessment and make recommendations.

System design

On-site treatment systems should be designed in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency publication “Treatment Systems for Single Houses” and the Sligo County Council’s Technical Guidance Document. Both documents are available on the internet.

Designers should ensure that the effluent treatment system is sufficient to treat and dispose of the effluent and yet not be too complex. A septic tank and percolation area should normally be installed where site conditions are suitable.

It should be noted that some sites may pass the site assessment but not be suitable for the installation of a septic tank and percolation area – in these cases consideration may be given to the installation of an effluent treatment plant.

Septic Tank and Percolation area

The conventional on-site treatment system is the septic tank system, which consists of a septic tank and percolation area.
The septic tank:

• Should be pre-cast, two chambered and watertight.
• Needs to be de-sludged yearly.
• Accepts water from baths, washing machines, dishwashers, sinks etc.
• Surface waters from roofs and paved areas should not discharge to a septic tank.
• Paint thinners, disinfectants, chemicals etc. should not discharge to a septic tank.

The Percolation Area

The percolation area is a critical part of an on-site system, as most of the treatment takes place here.

Guidelines:

• Steep slopes, depressions, the bottom of slopes or bowl shaped sites are generally unsuitable for the installation of percolation systems.
  Ground that is waterlogged or has heavy impervious soils should be avoided.
• Ground which shows evidence of rock outcrops or soils through which effluent seeps too quickly would not be suitable.
• In all cases the depth from ground level to the water table/bedrock must be a minimum of 500mm.
• If there is a private well on site the treatment system should be located down gradient from the well at a minimum distance of 30m.

Effluent Treatment Plants

Proprietary Effluent Treatment (PET) systems are used to treat wastewater from a dwelling where a site is unsuitable for a conventional septic tank system. They should not be regarded as an instant solution for all problem sites. It is crucial that systems are properly designed and installed, and that proper maintenance and monitoring procedures are put in place. Adequate capacity to allow for one- ear sludge storage should be provided with all PET systems.

Effluent treatment plants differ in effluent treatment process, size, electrical consumption, cost and complexity. In the rush to obtain planning permission and build, many applicants do not consider the implications of their on-site treatment systems. On sites, problems may not emerge in the first few years, but may do so in subsequent years. A long term view is necessary to ensure that there is no risk of water pollution or risk to public health from these systems.

Applicants should research the type of system before purchase to ensure the correct system is purchased for the particular site.

The following information should be requested:

• Has the plant Irish Agreement Board Certification? 
• Is the system effectively able to deal with wastewater from the house?
• What are the running costs per year?
• How often will the system need to be de-sludged? This may be a considerable expense over the life of the system.
• Do the suppliers install the system?
• Is there a maintenance contract available?
• How rigid and robust is the product, and is it possible to get spare parts and servicing for the system?
• Is there product liability, guarantee, or warranty given?

The purchase of a wastewater treatment system is an extremely important long- term investment and this should always be borne in mind when purchasing.

Installation

Engineers/Architects with appropriate professional indemnity will be required to certify that the treatment system complies with the planning conditions and the Environmental Protection Agency Wastewater Treatment manual. The certificate should be retained by the householder and be made available to the Local Authority on request.

Photographs of the whole system should be taken by a competent person before backfilling to show that the system is installed correctly. These photographs should be certified and retained by the householder.

Maintenance

All single house sewage treatment systems require regular maintenance in order to prevent the risk of pollution. Maintenance includes de-sludging and monitoring of effluent from treatment plants and de-sludging of septic tanks. Documentary evidence of regular maintenance may be required to be submitted to the Local Authority.

Site Improvement works

It is sometimes possible to carry out site improvement works by drainage or the importation of suitable soils to allow for a proprietary effluent treatment system to be installed. Site improvement works requires a considerable degree of expertise, and should only be undertaken by an experienced competent company/engineer. The specialist engineer or company with indemnity insurance must design and supervise the installation, and sign off on the proposed system. Following improvement works/drainage work having been carried out on a site, the site must be reassessed after a sufficiently long period, to establish whether the improved subsoil is satisfactory.

This article aims to reduce delays in the planning process for new house builders and will be available on the Sligo County Council web-site: www.sligococo.ie for future reference.

Sligo Pride of Place Competition 2006

The Pride of Place Awards Initiative is a competition organised by Co-Operation Ireland to recognise improvements made by local communities to create civic pride in their area.

Co-operation Ireland through their Local Authority Programme has brought Local Authorities together on a cross-border basis for over 10 years. Since 2002, this networking has been coordinated through an All-Island Steering Forum of which County Manager Hubert Kearns is a member. One of the steering forums sub committees is the Community and Leisure Sub- Committee which has developed the Pride of Place initiative. The emphasis of this initiative is on involving the community in rural and urban regeneration and generating a sense of community pride around these achievements. It is about specific pride initiatives which will have long lasting and positive impacts; including clearing of litter/graffiti, and improving shop fronts; to the development of community centres, promotion of heritage and tackling social exclusion issues. The competition also promotes cross-border co-operation as well as motivating and rewarding community groups, residents associations and individuals who take positive steps to enhance the area in which they live.

The development and promotion of civic pride is enshrined in the 10 year strategy adopted by the Sligo County Development Board; which is a ready illustration of the significance of this initiative.

Nine applications were received for the Sligo Pride of Place Competition 2006 from community groups throughout the county. The applicants were:-

• Aclare Development Council Ltd
• Ballymote Community & Enterprise Ltd
• Banada Development Agency Ltd
• Cranmore Community Platform
• Cranmore Youth Association
• Coolaney Development Company
• Enniscrone Community Council
• Easkey Community Council
• Killavil Development Group

One entry per population can be nominated by the Local Authorities to enter the All Ireland Competition. The population categories that Sligo is eligible to compete in are:-

• Category 1 population up to 500
• Category 2 population between 501 and 1,000
• Category 3 between 1,001 and 2,000
• Category 4 between 2001 and 10,000
• Single Issue Entrant

The presentation of the Sligo Pride of Place awards took place in the Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside on Tuesday 16th May 2006. All groups were represented at the event and each entrant received a Certificate and a cash award in recognition of their on-going civic pride work; these were presented by Cathaoirleach Councillor Patsy Barry and Mayor Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady.

The winners in each category were:

Category 1 population up to 500 - Aclare Development Council Ltd

This group was formed in 1980 and have worked on the various projects to enhance the village and surrounding areas, to promote economic development so as to make the area a better place for all its residents. Their project involves the implementation of their recently launched strategy – a Vision for Aclare 2010; the development of an all weather sports facility and further village enhancement and the development of riverside walks.

Category 2 population between 501 and 1,000 - Coolaney Development Company

This group aim to serve the economic and cultural welfare of the area by leading and facilitating the development of local infrastructure and amenities, provide a voice for residents living in the community with the ultimate aim of maintaining a high standard of living through village enhancement. Current projects include the development of play facilities in the area, working in partnership with the Council on the Urban and Village Renewal Programme and the continuation of Phase II of the construction of Community Park.

Category 3 between 1,001 and 2,000 -Enniscrone Community Council

This group was formed in 1985 with the goal of improving the aesthetic, economic and social condition of the village thereby improving the quality of life of people living in Enniscrone. They are heavily involved in a number of projects in the area including the construction of a 6,000 sq ft Enterprise Centre for SME’s to attract new industry to the region and the second is the refurbishment of the Waterpoint Leisure facility further strengthening the tourism potential of the area.

Category 4 between 2001 and 10,000 - Cranmore Community Platform

This group was established to provide a voice for the residents living in Cranmore, to communicate information, ideas and propose solutions to any problems arising in the community. They are involved in a wide range of projects including providing assistance to Youth groups in the area, publication of a Cranmore Community Newsletter, organising social event for the community and providing funding for local tidy towns competition.

A new category was introduced by Cooperation Ireland this year – Single Issue Entrant, the theme of this entry was quite broad and could be very diverse anything from a heritage project to a childcare facility but it must be developed in an innovative and participative manner by the local community – this year the local judges were very impressed with one particular group that have focused their efforts and resources in enhancing the quality of life, equality of opportunity and promote full community participation in a unique way. The winner in this category was Easkey Community Council.

Judging for the National All-Ireland Pride of Place Competition will take place on 3rd and 4th July and we wish the local category winners every success in this event.

Community & Enterprise

Did you know?This year the Office of Community and Enterprise established a cross departmental working group to assist local Tidy Towns groups in improving their marks in the National Competition. This group has re-vamped the local Tidy Towns Competition and this was launched last month. The competition is now divided up into specific prize categories as follows:

• Best Kept Housing Estate
   - 1-50 Houses
   - 51-100 Houses
   - 101+ Houses
• Best Kept School
• Best Shop Front/Business
• Best Community Managed Bottle Bank
• Best Kept Street

There is also an Overall County Award with 1 Winner in each of the following Population Categories:

• Category A 500 or less
• Category B 501 to 1000
• Category C 1001 to 5000

Judging for this event will take place in late May and early June and the judging panel will comprise of staff from various departments within the Council. Substantial cash prizes are available for the winners and the runner up in each of the competition categories.

We have received a total of 106 entries to our competition and are delighted with the huge response particularly from Schools and Local Business people in the county. We look forward to receiving the competition results which should be available for the next issue of Econtact.

Future Looks Bright For Young Sligo Entrepreneurs

Secondary school students from six schools in Sligo and Omagh joined together on Thursday, 6th April in the Share Centre, Lisnaskea to mark the final part of a new exciting cross-border enterprise project. The project was financially supported by the Omagh-Sligo Partnership, the Sligo County Enterprise Board and delivered by Junior Achievement Ireland.

The day began with students from each school giving a business presentation on Export Business Plans they had written during the project. Raelene Mc Ateer of Junior Achievement said “The students had some fantastic business ideas, everything from innovative hair straighteners and bottled mineral water to an innovative counting money box. They all showed a great level of knowledge about the issues that arise when competing in the international marketplace.” It was the fourth year students from Summerhill College that won the award for Overall Winner in this area however. Their company ‘Stingers’ proposed to develop a new health drink – Stingers Nettle Juice. Aiming to target an ever- increasing health conscious market, the young entrepreneurs from Summerhill College covered all issues that would need to be considered when exporting to another country.

Students also participated in a very exciting Trading Game, which introduced them to some of the complexities of international trade between countries that are at different stages of economic development. Working together in groups representing various different countries, from USA to Bangladesh, students had to earn as much money as possible for their country by making various products to export to Northern Ireland.

Guest speaker, Mr. Gerry Mc Caughey, Chief Executive of Kingspan Century, shared some of his vast experience and words of wisdom with the students at the end of the event. Gerry encouraged each of the students to try their best in whatever they do and not to let anything stand in their way of achieving what they want.

The day finished with the presentation of the Export for Success certificates to the participating students.

The Export for Success project was designed and delivered by Junior Achievement in partnership with the Omagh-Sligo Partnership, Sligo County Enterprise Board and Young Enterprise Northern Ireland. The Export for Success project introduces students to key aspects of international trade. During the project students discovered why businesses export and the benefits and risks associated with this. They learned about the challenges of international marketing faced by any business entering the international market. Finally the students discussed the issues that need to be considered with exporting to Northern Ireland. Participating schools in Sligo included Ursuline College, Mercy College and Summerhill College.

Course in Procurement Skills

Omagh-Sligo partnership has teamed up with Omagh and Sligo Councils and Price Waterhouse Coopers to design and deliver a one day course in procurement skills for small and medium sized business managers. The course is being delivered on the 15th of June 2006 at the Manor House Hotel in Kiladeas, Co Fermanagh.

The courses objectives are to impart the essential knowledge of the procurement process to course participants, the programme content includes a discussion and practical examples of the systems and procedures surrounding public procurement, e-tendering, e- procurement, completion of tender documentation, advice on selling services/products to the public sector networking and submitting joint tenders.

The overarching theme of the course is to assist Small Medium Sized business managers to become more successful in securing public sector tendering contracts offered by local authorities in both Northern and Southern Ireland.

Participants on the course include small business managers from a range of sectors including the catering and hospitality, the office supply sector, the IT and marketing sectors, the management consulting sector and the education/training sector.

Public Affairs Ireland Seminar, 15th June 2006

“The European Union and Ireland – A Practical Guide for Public Servants on Compliance with EU Legal Obligations”

A seminar is being organised by Public Affairs Ireland in association with William Fry Solicitors on 15th June 2006 in the Conrad Hotel, Dublin 2, specifically for public servants on compliance with EU legal obligations. The seminar will be a practical and focused event and will focus on the following areas:

• The impact of EU law on public policy in Ireland
• The implementation of Regulations and Directives in Ireland
• The impact of EU rules on State Aids on public policy in Ireland
• EU Competition policy and Irish public policy
• EU procurement obligations
• Irish citizens rights under EU law
• The consequences for the State of the non implementation of EU measures.

The seminar will hear contributions from leading experts in EU law, John Handoll and Cormac Little of William Fry and Dermot Cahill from UCD.

For further information contact Lisa Madsen, Public Affairs Ireland, Tel: 01 2845300, Fax: 01 2845178, Email: Lisa@publicaffairsireland.com Web: www.publicaffairsireland.com  

Omagh-Sligo Partnership Migrant Workers Information Evening

The Omagh - Sligo partnership teamed up with Sligo Volunteer Bureau, the Omagh Ethnic Communities Support Group and the Sligo Churches Together Committee to facilitate a migrant workers information evening at the Clarion Hotel, Sligo.

The evening aimed to provide immigrant workers from the Sligo County Council area with important information which could assist them to overcome the challenges of living and working in County Sligo.

The event was extensively supported with the attendance of over 20 organisations some of which included the Health Service Executive, the Gardai Siochana, Omagh Ethnic Communities Organisation, IT Sligo, the Citizens Information Evening, the Department of Family Affairs to mention a few.

The evening attracted over two hundred and fifty migrant workers from the Polish, the Lithuanian and the Russian communities and proved to be a highly successful way of imparting essential information to the migrant workers attending the event.

The event organisers opted for a multi-lingual approach to the evening with participating organisations providing marketing materials in several European Union languages and several translators assisted migrant workers with interpretation of English into Lithuanium, Polish and Russian.

The success of the evening clearly demonstrated the need to bring the Community, Voluntary and Statutory sectors closer to the migrant worker population living in Sligo and emphasised the importance of bringing together representatives from both migrant populations in Omagh and Sligo to share their experiences of the challenges of living and working in both Omagh and Sligo.

Presentation of Waste

Waste Collectors in County Sligo are currently implementing the Waste Presentation bye-laws that were introduced by Sligo County Council in January ’06. The bye-laws deal with household presentation of waste for collection by a waste collector.
The Bye-law states that:

• All householders must present waste for collection if they are on a collection route.
• All householders must present landfill waste in a WHEELED BIN.
• Householders must not present waste for collection prior to 6pm on the eve of collection day.
• Waste left out for collection should be located as close as practicable to its source and should be located so as not to create a traffic hazard or any other public nuisance.

“The bye-laws were introduced to ensure that waste is presented in a proper manner and is segregated to allow for maximum recycling and recovery. It is intended that the bye laws will prevent the creation of environmental pollution and litter associated with waste collection”, said Fiona Kelly, Environment Awareness Officer with Sligo County Council.

North Sligo

In North Sligo, one of the main collectors are now phasing out the sale of pre-paid bags and changing over to a charge-per-tag system in conjunction with the roll-out of their wheely bins to householders. Waste Tags can be purchased in the same shops and outlets as waste bags and there is no change in charges. The new tag system operates by waste tags being attached to the wheely-bin when the wheely bin is presented for collection. The waste collector will remove the tag from the bin each time the wheely-bin is emptied. Waste will not be collected from wheely bins that do not have a pre-paid tag on them. Waste tags are only applicable for residual or landfill waste. There is no change in the presentation of recyclable waste which will continue to be presented in a clear plastic bag.

Landfill bags not presented in a wheeled bin will be collected until 30th JUNE, 2006 after which date landfill waste must be presented in a wheeled bin.

If householders have a supply of pre-paid bags they will continue to be collected once they are tied to or used as a liner in a wheely bin. For further information on how to avail of a wheelie bin or for information on collection routes contact please contact the Environment Section, Sligo County Council at 071-9111111.

Waste Collection Routes

The Waste Enforcement Section in Sligo County Council are currently working with Waste Collectors in County Sligo to map the waste collection routes around the entire County. This will give a clear indication of the availability of a waste collection service to the pubic and assist in expanding on current routes for the convenience of householders.