News Ireland daily BLOG by Donie

Monday 23rd May 2016

Report estimates there are almost 250,000 vacant properties

    

A range of solutions have been suggested for the Government to incentivise owners to open up vacant homes

Chairman of the Housing Agency Conor Skehan has said more needs to be done to solve the housing crisis than just building new homes.

It comes after a new report from the agency estimates that there are almost 250,000 empty houses across Ireland.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Skehan said this is an opportunity for everyone as it translates to around two years’ supply of housing that could be used.

Mr Skehan said there are a range of solutions that the Government could use to incentivise owners of vacant homes to open them up.

He said refurbishment grants for vacant homes or short-term taxation breaks on rental income when someone puts a vacant property into use could be launched.

Other countries penalised those who had long-term vacant properties but the housing agencies would prefer to use “carrots”, Mr Skehan said.

“Countries like Scotland, England and France actually penalise long-term vacancies – once your house is vacant for more than a year in an area of high population density you would start to pay dramatically increased tax every year.”

He added that bringing property back into use is “the real trick”.

The Minister for Housing. meanwhile, has admitted something needs to be done about the vacant homes in Ireland.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Simon Coveney said a new housing policy will be launched by the end of July, adding that he will not be afraid to be radical.

Mr Coveney indicated that he “may well” look at the option of tax penalties to force vacant properties into use.

The Cork South Central said 40% of people looking for homes in the Dublin area are getting no supply at all.

He said there is a mismatch in terms of the number of housing units being built but also the type of units being provided.

The minister said that homelessness and housing is the Government’s number one priority.

Meanwhile, Focus Ireland said the Government may need to consider a moratorium on evictions as the number of families becoming homeless continues to rise.

74 families became homeless in Dublin in April. Figures from Focus Ireland show that 366 families became homeless in the first four months of the year.

The charity’s Director of Advocacy, Mike Allen, said it is simply not possible for the homeless sector to deal with that number of families losing their homes.

Mr Allen said the number of families ending up homeless us continuously rising, adding that figures released by the charity today do not indicate a downward trend.

He said with summer coming there will be more pressure on hotels, meaning less rooms available for families.

Mr Allen added what we want to avoid is a point where we hear of a family sleeping in a park.

Typical Irish motorist spending costs €193.65 per month on fuel

Figures from AA’s survey of national fuel prices show rising cost

   

AA says changes in the global oil market are not being passed down to consumers??

A typical Irish motorist is now spending around €193.65 per month on fuel as both diesel and unleaded fuel costs continued to climb this month.

A litre of petrol now costs an average of 129.1c, up 3.1c, while diesel rose by 2.1c to 113.2c, according to the AA’s survey of national fuel prices.

The survey added that growing pump prices are a result of the recent rise in the cost of oil which is now sitting at $47 per barrel, up from $44 last month.

The AA also found that a monthly average of €4.65 has now been added to the cost of filling up a car that runs on 150 litres of petrol per month. A typical Irish motorist is now spending around €193.65 per month on the fuel.

AA director of consumer affairs Conor Faughnan said changes in the global oil market were “far removed” from consumers.

“Huge trades made on international exchanges are far removed from the consumer,” he said. “In fact, you can sometimes see price movements even throughout a single day as trading can get spooked in response to headlines.

“The bigger issue is tax, and of your €190 or so monthly fuel bill, nearly €130 goes directly to the Government in tax. If oil pursues its current pattern, we could see fuel prices continue to accumulate well into 2016.

“We would like to see the new Government remove the austerity taxes slapped on between 2008 and 2012 by their predecessors. This is nothing short of an anti-stimulus measure and is effectively taking money out of the pockets of consumers.”

HSE commits to filling all vacant nursing posts in Galway UH emergency department

    

The HSE confirmed yesterday that all vacant nursing posts in the country’s Emergency Departments, including at UHG, will now be filled.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives organisation says the commitment comes despite a recent announcement by the HSE that recruitment would be paused.

The confirmation was given at the third Review of the ED Agreement between the HSE/Department of Health and the INMO, which was chaired by the Workplace Relations Commission today.

The ED Agreement provides for the filling of over 144 staff nurse posts in emergency departments across the country.

The A&E unit at UHG has been repeatedly branded the worst in the country for overcrowding – and concerns have been raised over staffing and facilities at the department.

Today’s review at the WRC also considered a number of other issues including the appointment of an Assistant Director of Nursing in each ED nationwide, with responsibility for patient flow.

The WRC will convene the parties again in July to undertake its fourth review of the implementation of the ED Agreement.

Secretary General of the INMO Liam Doran says hospitals including UHG now have to make greater effort in recruiting and retaining staff.

Two Irish government ministers to share broadband roll out responsibility

    

Last month it emerged that the Government’s plan to roll out high-speed broadband connectivity to every premises in the country had been delayed

Responsibility for the State-backed roll-out of high speed broadband to 757,000 premises around the country is to fall to two departments under the new Government.

The Department of Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources will be responsible for the public procurement of the high-speed telecoms network, and will develop proposals for an entity to manage all of the State’s broadband contracts.

However, the Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht, led by Heather Humphreys, will be responsible for ensuring that rollout can be delivered quickly once a contract or contracts are in place.

The new arrangements were announced by Minister for Communications Denis Naughten at the installation of a new broadband service in a national school in Co Roscommon today.

The minister also revealed that Ms Humphreys will set up county or regional broadband task-forces and work with local authorities, Local Enterprise Offices, LEADER Groups and other agencies to help accelerate the broadband network build in rural Ireland.

The task-forces will develop rural digital strategies, he said, to ensure that planning permissions and road openings can be processed quickly, identify priority areas for the rollout of infrastructure and to develop regional digital hubs.

Separately, a national mobile phone and broadband task-force will be established, the minister said, which will consider immediate measures to alleviate broadband and mobile phone service deficits across rural Ireland.

Last month it emerged that the Government’s plan to roll out high-speed broadband connectivity to every premises in the country had been delayed.

The original plan foresaw the completion of the network by the end of 2020 at the latest, but a delay in the procurement phase means contracts will not be signed until the middle of next year – at least six months later than planned.

Further doubt was cast on the timeline for completion of the plan with the announcement of the formation of the new Government when the Taoiseach said responsibility for delivery of the pledge would be transferred from the Department of Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources to the Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht.

But speaking today, Mr Naughten emphasised the Government’s strong commitment to revitalising rural Ireland through the implementation of the plan and other measures, and said the initiative was a top priority.

He described the The National Broadband Plan as a defining plan for Ireland, adding that it will be the most significant investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification.

He also gave an update on the progress of the delivery of the interventions, saying the procurement process is well under way.

The expectation is that interested companies will be shortlisted as bidders in the next month, with a contract or contracts signed by June 2017, Mr Naughten said.

Ryanair reveals its average fare and even you could soon fly for free

      

Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, Ryanair’s says the average fare now stands at €46.67, down 1% this year on last year.

Ryanair’s average fare is falling, and its CEO sees no reason why passengers couldn’t fly for free in the future.

The figure was announced with the airline’s annual results today, which showed a 43pc rise in profits to over €1.2bn despite terrorism fears and ATC strikes.

Fares are set to fall a further 7pc in the next six months, the airline says, with fuel savings and growing passenger numbers reflected in lower prices.

But that’s nothing on the prices you could pay in the future.

“My plan is that the average fares on Ryanair would be €10 in the next five years,” Michael O’Leary told the media at the recent launch of Year 3 of the airline’s Always Getting Better programme of customer service improvements.

“I’d see no reason why they can’t be €15, €10, €5… why not even free?”

His argument is based on the airline growing passenger numbers to 180 million a year, as is its aim by 2024, with fares dropping as sales of ancillary services ranging from checked bags to car hire, travel insurance and hotel rooms grow.

“As long as we can persuade people to buy additional, optional services, then I see no reason why we can’t keep driving down the underlying airfare,” O’Leary said.

Ryanair Airline in numbers:

• 31: Years since Ryanair’s launch
• €46.67: Current average fare
• 86: Ryanair routes from Dublin
• 340: Number of aircraft (with 330 Boeing 738s on order)
• 500: Ryanair flight cancellations following strikes and terrorist attacks
• 1,800: Daily flights operated
• 106m: Passengers flown in financial year
• 180m: Predicted passengers per annum by 2024
• €1.24bn: Full year profits, up 43pc on previous year
• €1.43bn: Expected net profits in FY2017

Sale fares are currently available from €9.99 on Ryanair’s website, but of course prices rise much higher than the average figure of €46.67, too.

As we publish, fares from Dublin to Bordeaux, where Ireland play the second of their Euro 2016 Group E games on June 17, were up to €299.99 one-way.

Irish researchers new breakthrough may accelerate hydrogen’s replacement of fossil fuels

  

Hydrogen has been described as the ultimate clean energy source and potentially a real alternative to fossil fuels

Researchers at the CRANN nanoscience institute at Trinity College Dublin have discovered a new clean energy material that will increase the adoption of hydrogen as a fuel in energy-efficient transport.

Hydrogen has been described as the ultimate clean energy source and, potentially, a real alternative to fossil fuels.

It is seen as very attractive as it is a pollution-free fuel and energy carrier that would satisfy much of the energy requirements of our society.

Hydrogen is readily prepared by splitting water electrically into its component parts hydrogen and oxygen; a process called electrolysis. However, this process requires a significant energy input.

‘Our disruptive materials breakthrough is momentous as it means much more energetically efficient and more economical hydrogen energy’

But now, researchers at CRANN have developed a material that enhances the splitting of water at a very low energy cost using Earth-abundant raw materials.

A realistic clean energy alternative?

“This scientific breakthrough brings us one step closer to a realistic energy alternative,” said Lorraine Byrne,  executive director, CRANN Institute and AMBER National Centre.

The CRANN breakthrough, recently published in the prestigious international journal ACS Catalysis, has shown that the ruthenium content can be decreased by as much as 90pc and substituted with the Earth-abundant and inexpensive manganese oxide without diminishing the efficiency of the material to split water.

“We are very excited about this very significant breakthrough,” said Prof Mike Lyons, principal investigator at CRANN.

“The adoption of this material in industry will mean that electrochemical hydrogen generation using photo (electrolysis) is now far more economically viable and will hasten adoption of hydrogen as a fuel in energy-efficient transportation.

“It should be noted that this discovery could only have been accomplished using the world-class characterisation facilities and opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration available within the School of Chemistry and CRANN.

“Our disruptive materials breakthrough is momentous as it means much more energetically efficient and more economical hydrogen energy. This means that the cost of producing hydrogen via water electrolysis will be significantly reduced, which will result in a more rapid uptake of hydrogen as an automotive fuel,” Lyons said.

News Ireland daily BLOG by Donie

Thursday 26th September 2013

Growing numbers of Irish teenager’s being gang-raped

“Says a report”

  

Cari said it was alarmed by the dramatic rise in reports of attacks by multiple perpetrators in 2012, which doubled to 41.

Mary Flaherty, chief executive, said staff also recorded a 162% increase in rape and sexual assault allegations on under 18s, from 132 to 351.

She revealed teenagers told volunteers they often felt culpable in attacks, were witnessed or sometimes encouraged by others, and left traumatised by recordings which were viewed or discussed on social media sites.

“The sexualisation of children and young people and easy access to pornographic imagery plays a vital role in how young people perceive sex and sexuality,” she said.

“The nature of our calls has changed so much in the past 20 years that this issue needs to be addressed.

“Social networking sites also need to play a role in child welfare and protection – which to date they have not done.”

Ms Flaherty said a 13% cut in State funding last year impacted severely on services, leading to the closure of its service in Cork and all staff being laid off for a month.

Therapy hours had to be cut by 7% nationwide, from 2,650 hours in 2011 down to 2,474, leaving more than 50 children who were sexually abused on a waiting list for therapy by the end of the year.

Ms Flaherty said it was an appalling indictment on the nation that some of the 3,300 youngsters who report abuse to health chiefs each year are being let down.

“Children in Ireland continue to be sexually abused every day and we continue to fail them,” she said.

“If you are an adult who has experienced abuse, either in the last 24 hours or as a child, you have access to counselling in every health board area. You also have rape crisis and domestic violence units nations.

“If you are under 18 you only have support two children’s hospitals in Dublin and a service in Limerick which we run.”

The helpline took 1,493 calls during the year, up 4%.

They included 1,182 where a child spoke about their ordeal, 208 silent calls which were seen as a victim’s first step for help and 104 that went unanswered due to resources, a 30% drop on 2011.

The majority of allegations involved a family member and some parents raised concerns over the sexualised behaviour of their teenagers, although no abuse had taken place.

Cari, which also supported 64 children or family members through the criminal courts, also criticised the three to four year delays in cases which impact on a child’s life and healing process.

Majella Ryan, acting national clinical director, said the long term effect of child sexual abuse on children when they do not receive the appropriate interventions is well documented.

“Children as young as eight years old present with thoughts of suicide, self-harm and mental health issues,” she added.

“Many struggle at school as a result of their experiences.

“When left untreated, they can go on to develop problems with addiction, social skills and many other things that can make life difficult and unbearable.

“When these children are made safe and receive the right intervention, they can move on and the abusive experience does not have to define them.”

Number of tourists visiting Ireland up by 142,000 6.7% increase

 

THE number of tourists visiting Ireland this summer increased by 142,000 over the same time last year to over two million, according to the latest figures from the CSO released this morning.

A total of 2,264,800 return trips were made between June and August – an increase of 6.7% over the same period last year.

Visitors from the UK represented the largest group of visitors here who made 879,500 visits during the peak summer months of June, July and August, an increase of  4.7pc.

But the key North American market showed impressed gains of close to 20pc over the same period last year with visitors from Canada and the USA making 437,900 return trips.

Visitors from Eastern Europe, Switzerland, Turkey and other European countries were the third largest group who made 172,600 visits, followed by Germany at 169,100, France at 136,900, other areas – including Africa, Asia and theMiddle East – at 86,000 followed by Benelux countries at 79,500, Italy at 77,400, Australia and New Zealand at 66,700 and Scandinavia at 63,400.

The figures, especially for North American visitors, reveal that The Gathering tourism initiative is paying off.

There were almost 300,000 overseas visitors here by the end of August, which is close to The Gathering’s target of 325,000 overseas visitors by the end of the year.

“There are still gatherings taking place until the end of the year so we are very confident we’ll hit the target,” a Failte Ireland spokeswoman said.

Failte Ireland CEO Shaun Quinn added: “For us in Fáilte Ireland, these figures are clear evidence that The Gathering is providing tourism with the ‘jump-start’ we always imagined it would. The North American performance is very impressive and the European markets are bouncing back. The increase in British visitors is particularly welcome as that market has been challenged for some time. The trick for tourism going forward will be to maintain the momentum created by the Gathering and build on this performance.”

The statistics also reveal that Irish residents took slightly more trips abroad and within Ireland for business and leisure this summer than last.

Some 4.4 million trips were taken over the summer – an increase of 4.9pc over the same time last year.

Failte Ireland attributed the heatwave in July and Gathering events for a slight increase in the number of Irish people making last-minute getaways within Ireland.

There was also a slight increase in the number of overseas trips taken (3.9pc) to 2.1 million, including holiday and business travel as well as visiting family.

Irish ploughing championships pull in record attendance’s this year

  

The number of people attending this year’s National Ploughing Championships has broken all records.

Almost 230,000 people visited the three day event in Ratheniska near Stradbally in Co Laois.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was the guest of honour on the third and final day of the 2013 Ploughing Championships in Co Laois, which are drawing to a close this evening.

A recording breaking 228,000 people turned out in Ratheniska near Stradbally since Tuesday morning – 43,000 more than last year’s figure.

“We knew that we’re in the cross roads of Ireland here, and we’re in between two major motorways … [and] the weather was a major, major factor,” said Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association.

The organisers confirmed this evening that next year’s event will also take place in Ratheniska.

Irish Carbon Monoxide awareness Week 2013

  

Most Irish people are unaware of the connection between burning fossil fuels and the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, new research has found.

CO is a poisonous gas, however, it is colourless and odourless. It is produced when fossil fuels, such as oil, gas and coal, do not have enough oxygen to burn completely.

If inhaled into the body, CO combines with the blood, preventing it from absorbing oxygen. If a person inhales CO over a period of time, they are at risk of becoming seriously ill or even dying. Around six people die every year in Ireland as a result of accidental CO poisoning.

However, a survey of 1,000 adults released as part of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, revealed low levels of consumer awareness when it comes to the connection between CO and the burning of fossil fuels.

For example, just one in three people are aware that oil and gas can produce CO when burned, while only one in four are aware that coal, kerosene and bottled gas can produce it.

Meanwhile, just one in five people know that charcoal, peat and turf can produce the poisonous gas, while only one in seven know that burning wood and wood pellets can produce it.

In order to prevent CO, fuel burning appliances, such as gas boilers, should be serviced on an annual basis and chimneys, vents and flues should be kept clear.

According to the research, almost three in four people are aware of the importance of regular servicing of these appliances, however for almost six in 10 people, the cost of such a service is a prohibiting factor.

Furthermore, when asked when was the last time they had their heating appliance serviced, 8% said that to their knowledge, it had never been serviced, while 15% said they did not know.

“This research shows that everyone needs to be more aware that every fossil fuel when burned has the potential to produce CO. CO poses a very real threat to people’s lives. Regular appliance servicing and keeping vents, flues and chimneys clear are extremely important to ensure the safety of family members and loved ones,” commented Dr Paul McGowan of the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which organises this event.

As part of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, which runs until September 29, people are being reminded of the importance of installing a CO alarm in their homes.

Symptoms of CO poisoning can include cold-like symptoms, headaches, dizziness, chest pains, diarrhoea and lack of energy. For more information on CO, click here

IMO calls for Irish minimum alcohol prices structure to reduce abuse

  

The Irish Medical Organisation is calling for a minimum unit pricing structure for alcohol across the country.

The group says the introduction of a minimum price would effectively reduce the problem of alcohol abuse on future generations in Ireland.

The President of the IMO, Dr Matt Sadlier, said they were seeking an all-island policy including the North to help to tackle the issue.

“Our reason for looking for minimum pricing for alcohol is that where minimum unit pricing has been introduced, it has been shown to reduce consumption – and thus reduce the social difficulties with alcohol,” he said.

The IMO is also urging the government to ensure that young people are not exposed to alcohol marketing and to introduce a complete ban on drinks advertising and promotion.

First pair of Okapis arrive at Dublin Zoo

  

Dublin Zoo has announced that the first okapis in Ireland have become its newest residents.

Males Kamba, aged 14, and Kitabu, aged six, arrived from Rotterdam Zoo this month.

Dublin Zoo said: “The okapi is originally found in the Ituri Rainforest, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in central Africa.”

Dublin Zoo continued: “It is one of the last species of mammals to be described by western science and even today the okapi largely remains a mystery to the outside world.

“For most people living in Ireland this will be their first opportunity to see these extraordinary animals.”

Dublin Zoo added: “Okapis are the only living relative of the giraffe. The okapi has a dark red-brown-coloured coat with horizontal, white-striped markings on their hind quarters and at the tops of their legs. Its long, black tongue is prehensile, meaning that it is able to strip leaves from the branches above.

“Unfortunately, due to deforestation and hunting, their numbers are declining rapidly.”

Director of Dublin Zoo Leo Oosterweghel said: “It is a privilege to see such a rare and beautiful animal. They are a shy and sensitive animal and are still settling in so may not be visible every day.”

Curiosity findings show 2% of Mars soil contains water

   

The first analysis of soil dug up by the Curiosity rover reveals new insights into the red planet’s propensity for retaining water beneath its surface.

After examining fine-grained soil particles extracted by the Curiosity rover from beneath the surface of Mars, scientists have concluded that roughly 2 percent of the Martian surface soil is made up of water. While showing no indication of organic material besides Earth-transported microbes, the results bode well for future manned missions to Mars, wherein astronauts could mine the soil for water, and advance scientists’ understanding of Mars’ history.

The findings, published Thursday in the journal Science, are part of one article in a five-paper special section on the Curiosity mission that began in August 2012. “One of the most exciting results from this very first solid sample ingested by Curiosity is the high percentage of water in the soil,” lead author Laurie Leshin, dean of the School Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, said in a NASA press release.

The tool Curiosity used to analyze the sample was a collection of instruments called Sample Analysis at Mars, or SAM, that contains a gas chromatograph, a mass spectrometer, and a tunable laser spectrometer.

The rover first scooped up dirt, dust, and finely grained soil from a 2.5-inch-deep hole it dug in a patch of Mars’ soil referred to as Rocknest back in February. Then a tiny, pill-size portion of the sample was fed into SAM, where it was heated to 1,535 degrees Fahrenheit.

The gases that were released — which included significant portions of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and sulfur compounds — were analyzed, and gaseous carbonite was found in a quantity that suggests the water presence in Martian soil.

The Sample Analysis at Mars, or SAM, instrument suite prior to installation inside Curiosity.

“This work not only demonstrates that SAM is working beautifully on Mars, but also shows how SAM fits into Curiosity’s powerful and comprehensive suite of scientific instruments,” said Paul Mahaffy, a lead investigator for SAM at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

These findings come on the heels of disheartening news last week that Curiosity has yet to crack the methane mystery that has persisted around Mars since 2003, when scientists observed methane plumes and the public and professional interest in finding life on the red planet soared.

The lack of methane thus far indicates that the rover has little chance of finding active microbial life on the planet, but the existence of water in such great quantities in the surface soil brings scientists one step closer to piecing together the planet’s past potential for harboring life.

“By combining analyses of water and other volatiles from SAM with mineralogical, chemical, and geological data from Curiosity’s other instruments, we have the most comprehensive information ever obtained on Martian surface fines,” added Mahaffy. “These data greatly advance our understanding surface processes and the action of water on Mars.”

Given the renewed interest of late in manned missions to Mars — from non-profit organizations like Mars One, privatized transportation companies like SpaceX, and the unofficial plans in the works over at NASA — these findings are reassuring. Leshin confirmed a cubic foot of soil, as opposed to the tiny sample Curiosity analyzed, could yield nearly 2 pints of condensation when heated.