ANNUAL REPORT 2015 – CARLOW COUNTY COUNCIL
FOREWORD
WE ARE PLEASED TO INTRODUCE THE CARLOW COUNTY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2015, WHICH OUTLINES THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL IN DELIVERING IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICES DURING THE YEAR, ALL OF WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING CARLOW AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO WORK, LIVE AND DO BUSINESS IN.
2015 has seen the strengthening of the Council’s role in economic development and community development and this is welcomed by all. It must be acknowledged that the changing economic climate both at national and local levels will have a defining influence on the extent to which our services are delivered. Despite the reduction in human and financial resources in recent years, Carlow County Council continues to deliver a high standard of service. The Council’s policy is to “do more with less” and to achieve greater efficiencies where possible. Our staff, with the support and leadership of the elected members, will continue to maintain and deliver quality services during the term of the Corporate Plan 2014-2019, whilst also keeping the Council on a firm financial standing. Similar to all local authorities in the country, Carlow County Council relies heavily on government funding. It follows that a reduction in overall funding can profoundly impact on our capacity to deliver our services. The external and internal environments will continue to shape and influence the allocation and provision of resources and the strategic direction of Carlow County Council in the coming years.
For our achievements to date and there have been many, I wish to thank the Elected Members for their support and all of the employees of the Council for their continuing dedicated work ethic. It is through this successful ongoing co-operation that we can endeavour to meet the challenges ahead and deliver quality services to the citizens of the County in the best possible manner.
Charlie Murphy Kathleen Holohan Cathaoirleach, Chief Executive Carlow County Council Carlow County Council
Foreword
Elected Members
Strategic Policy Committees
Corporate Services/Human Resources, Planning and Development and Health and Safety Environmental Services, Water and Road Transportation
Housing, Recreation and Amenity and Special Projects and Emergency Services and Building Control Community Initiatives, Heritage Week, Local Sports Partnership, Carlow County Museum and Carlow Ireland 2016 Programme Carlow County Library Service
Arts Programme
Information Technology
Motor Taxation
Water Safety
Civil Defence
CARLOW COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTED MEMBERS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2015 MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF CARLOW
Cllr. Anne Ahern Cllr. Fergal Browne Cllr. John Cassin Cllr. Jim Deane Cllr. Walter Lacey
Cllr. Jennifer Murnane O’Connor Cllr. Btian O’Donoghue Cllr. William Paton Cllr. John Pender Cllr. Fintan Phelan
MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF MUINEBHEAG
Cllr. Michael Doran Cllr. Denis Foley Cllr. Andy Gladney Cllr. Thomas Kinsella
Cllr. Arthur McDonald Cllr. Charlie Murphy Cllr. John Murphy Cllr. William Quinn
Carlow County Council – Strategic Policy Committees
Economic Development, Enterprise Support & Planning SPC Cllr. Michael Doran (Chair) Elected Member Cllr. William Paton Elected Member Cllr. John Murphy Elected Member Cllr. Denis Foley Elected Member Cllr. Charlie Murphy Elected Member Cllr. Fintan Phelan Elected Member Eileen Brophy Business/Commercial John Nolan Trade Union Alan Price Environmental/Conservation Cornelia McCarthy Community/Voluntary Paul Maher Community/Voluntary
Transportation, Environmental & Infrastructural SPC Cllr. Thomas Kinsella (Chair) Elected Member Cllr. William Quinn Elected Member Cllr. Michael Doran Elected Member Cllr. Andy Gladney Elected Member Cllr. Jennifer Murnane O’Connor Elected Member Cllr. John Murphy Elected Member Ashling Phelan Development/Construction John Tully Environmental/Conservation Vacant at 31.12.2015 Community/Voluntary Paddy Gardiner Community/Voluntary Michael Moloney Agriculture/Farming
Community, Housing & Amenity SPC Cllr. Jennifer Murnane O’Connor(Chair) Elected Member Cllr. William Quinn Elected Member Cllr. Fergal Browne Elected Member Cllr. Brian O’Donoghue Elected Member Cllr. John Cassin Elected Member Cllr. Arthur McDonald Elected Member Cllr. Fintan Phelan Elected Member Joe Butler Social Inclusion Lorraine Hynes Community/Voluntary Eileen O’Rourke Community/Voluntary Frank Comerford Voluntary Housing
Cultural, Health & Agricultural SPC Cllr. Walter Lacey (Chair) Elected Member Cllr. Tommy Kinsella Elected Member Cllr. Brian O’Donoghue Elected Member Cllr. Jim Deane Elected Member Cllr. Anne Ahern Elected Member Cllr. Denis Foley (HSE Rep) Elected Member Cllr. John Pender (HSE Rep) Elected Member Cllr. Arthur McDonald Elected Member Eric Driver Agriculture/Farming Eileen Doyle Social Inclusion Vacant Community/Voluntary James Browne Community/Voluntary Derek Shannon Business/Commercial
CORPORATE SERVICES, HUMAN RESOURCES ______The Corporate Services and Human Resources Section is responsible for the provision and management of a wide range of services which includes Council and Corporate Policy Group meetings, Register of Electors, Freedom of Information and a wide variety of ancillary services relating to the business of the Council.
CORPORATE SERVICES Management of Council and Corporate Policy Meetings, Attendance of Councillors at Conferences, Payment of Councillors Allowances and Expenses, Civic Receptions and Joint Policing Committees. Register of Electors Local Elections Customer Service Co-Ordination of Customer Service Performance Indicators Control of Dogs Coroners Court Management of Council Property Preparation of Annual Report Preparation of Corporate Plan Preparation of Corporate Plans Ethics Register Freedom of Information Ombudsman Data Protection Public Relations Irish Language Scheme Disability Plan Schools Business Programme Partnership Service Indicators co-ordination. Promotion of new Council initiatives such as Fix My Street, MapAlerter Major Emergency Management – Communications. Liaison with public, media and Councillors including during severe weather Town Council legacy issues.
HUMAN RESOURCES Employees: 352 as at 31/12/2015 (including 48 Retained Fire Fighters)
Manpower Planning, Recruitment and Selection Deployment of staff to all service areas. Training, Learning and Development Performance Management (PMDS) Industrial Relations Staff Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programme Equality & Diversity Work Life Balance Creating a Positive & Safe Working Environment Workplace Partnership Superannuation Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Implementation of Core HR/Payroll/Superannuation System Attendance Management HR Policy Development.
The main challenges facing Corporate/Human Resources at present are the partial moratorium on recruitment, and the need to provide services to the best possible level with the available resources.
The Department also provides coordination and leads on the implementation of the Public Service Agreement Local Sectoral Action plan on the Haddington Road Agreement. This includes actions required under the following categories: Restructuring Shared Services Procurement E – Government Redeployment Productivity & Performance
Carlow Local Authorities have achieved several of the targets and aims of the plan including: Rationalisation of engineering area supervisory structures to match the Municipal District areas Regional procurement of public lighting contract, etc. Sharing of resources between Carlow Library, new County Museum and Tourist offices Rationalisation of the revenue collection service Preparation of an overarching workforce plan Completion of the transition from multiple authorities to a single authority.
REGISTER OF ELECTORS The Register of Electors is produced annually and the Register of Electors for the period 2015/2016 issued on the 1st February 2015. The total number registered to vote in the Carlow- Kilkenny By-Election and the national referendums on marriage equality and the age of eligibility for election to the office of president on the 22nd May, 2015 was 41,550.
OMBUDSMAN The Office of the Ombudsman was established to examine complaints from members of the public who feel they have been unfairly treated in their dealings with bodies such as Government Departments, Local Authorities, Health Service Executive etc. There were no complaints received by Carlow County Council in 2015.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION The Freedom of Information (FOI) Acts, 1997-2014 gives three legal rights to those seeking access to information held by public bodies covered by the Act:
The right of access to official records created after 21st April, 1998 which are held by Government Departments or other public bodies subject to the Act. The right to have personal details on official records corrected or updated when such information is incomplete, incorrect or misleading and The right to be given reasons for decisions taken by public bodies that affect the requester.
A request for information under the Freedom of Information Act must be made, in writing, and should indicate that the information is being sought under the Freedom of Information Act. The number of requests received under the Freedom of Information Act in 2015 was as follows.
Number of cases brought forward from 2014 4 Number of applications received 43 Number of requests granted 27 Number of requests refused 19 Live cases at 31st December, 2015 1 Number of internal reviews 4 Number of Appeals to Information 2 Commissioner
SOURCES OF REQUESTS:
Private individuals 2 Media 17 Staff 0 Business 9 Other 15
CONTROL OF DOGS Under the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 & 1992, all dogs must be licensed, except those used wholly for official duties by the Gardai, Defence Forces or the Custom & Excise Services. Section 2 of the Act makes it an offence for a person to keep a dog unless he/she holds a licence for the dog or a general licence covering any number of dogs at specified premises. Carlow County Council and Kilkenny County Council operate a joint Dog Warden Service with two Dog Wardens based at the dog pound in Paulstown. One Dog Warden covers the Carlow Area and the other covers Kilkenny.
The number of licences issued in 2015 was 2,472 and the number of fines issued 4.
GATEWAY LABOUR ACTIVATION SCHEME During 2014 the Council actively promoted the Gateway Labour Activation Scheme and now has 44 participants - 14 in Tullow, 20 in Carlow and 10 in Bagenalstown. The first of these schemes expires in 2016.
ACTION PROGRAMME FOR EFFECTIVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT Following enactment of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 and forward planning for implementation of the Government Action Programme for Effective Local Government, which came into effect on 1st June, 2014, Management and staff in Carlow County Council have implemented the Transition/Unification/Reorganisation Plan which included:
1. Establishment of Municipal Districts, 2. Unification of Services between former Town Councils and County Council 3. Reconfiguration of Engineering Areas with Municipal Districts. 4. Workforce Planning – process included: a. Review of Directorates/Organisational and Staffing Restructuring b. Centralisation of Water Services c. Migration to the new operating model for the delivery of water services – Irish Water/Water Services Transition Process d. Establishment of LEO (Local Enterprise Office) 5. Financial unification and new budgetary process – Local Property Tax; General Municipal Allocation , Harmonisation of Rates; Annual Budget 2015 and Schedule of Municipal District Works. 6. ICT – Unification of Services plus Portal a. i Plan Team b. i House c. Financial systems and Accounts for County and Town d. Register of Electors e. Portal review f. Core Update 7. Risk Register 8. Implementation of an ambitious Shared Services programme on a 26 county basis – e.g. a. 26 county – My Pay’ Regional - Veterinary, Dog Control, SERBDM, Major Emergency Planning, Waste Management Planning, etc and on an Inter County shared service basis – proposals currently in hand relating to the Fire and Emergency Service and County Library Service.
9. Implementation of Haddington Road and Lansdowne Road Agreements 10. Establishment of Strategic Policy Committees 11. Establishment of Local Community Development Committee (LDDC) and Public Participation Network (PPN) 12. Preparation of new Corporate Plan
CONFERENCES ATTENDED BY COUNCILLORS IN 2015
Date Conference Councillors Attending `23-25/01/2015 The Finance Act 2014 A. Ahern, J. Deane 20-21/02/2015 Sustainable Tourism Development J. Murnane O’Connor, B. O’Donoghue, D. Foley 6-8/03/2015 The New Companies Act W. Quinn 20-22/03/2015 Domestic Water Charges A. Ahern 15/04/2015 Cross Border Tourism Conference D. Foley, A. McDonald, J. Deane, A. Gladney, J. Pender 8-9/05/2015 Crime Prevention & Community Safety J. Murnane O’Connor, W. Lacey 28-29/05/2015 Irish Uplands Forum Study Trip T Kinsella 7-9/08/2015 Regulation of Lobbying Act T. Kinsella, F. Browne 30/10/2015 Nuclear Free Local Authorities J. Pender, A. McDonald, A. Gladney, J. Deane 16/11/2015 Protected Structures J. Pender, A. McDonald 20-22/11/2015 Local Authority Budgets 2016 T. Kinsella
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
The overall objective of the planning department is to promote the development of the County in a manner which facilitates sustainable economic and social progress. The day- to-day operation of the planning department covers a number of separate areas namely Development Management, Forward Planning and Planning Enforcement.
DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
Planning Applications: Carlow County Council received a total of 403 planning applications during 2015. The following is a breakdown of decisions made during 2015 by Carlow County Council:
Number of valid applications received 294 Number of invalid applications received 109 Number of applications granted 237 Number of applications refused 22
Pre-planning meetings: Pre-planning meetings are held in County Buildings each Tuesday morning from 10.00 a.m. – 11.00 a.m. Pre-planning meetings are provided to assist applicants wishing to make planning applications in respect of large and small scale industrial/commercial developments and also residential developments including one-off rural housing developments. During 2015 a total of 284 pre-planning meetings were held.
ENFORCEMENT The planning department in accordance with the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended seeks to ensure that planning permissions are complied with. The planning department investigates all written complaints of unauthorised development where they appear to be well founded. The Council at all times protects the identity of the complainant. Following an investigation of a bone fide complaint the commencement of the enforcement steps is initiated by the issue of a Warning Letter followed by the issue of an Enforcement Notice should the matter not be satisfactorily resolved following the issue of a Warning Letter. In the event of non-compliance with the Enforcement Notice legal proceedings are initiated.
2015 Carlow County Council
Complaints Received 62 Warning letters issued 35 Enforcement notices served 20 Legal proceedings initiated 3
TAKING OF ESTATES IN CHARGE Under the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended requests to take estates in charge can be made by the Developer or the majority of the owners involved in the development. The Planning and Development Act 2010 allows the Local Authority to take part of an estate in charge.
During 2015 Carlow County Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Irish Water which outlines the protocol to be followed with Irish Water regarding the taking in charge of housing developments. The Taking in Charge Protocol provides clarity on the roles and responsibilities of both the Planning Authority and Irish Water in the taking in charge process.
The following Housing Developments were taken in charge during 2015:
Name of Development Address of Development
Pembroke Court Carlow Town, Co. Carlow Woodglade Fenagh, Co. Carlow
UNFINISHED ESTATES Following a review of the unfinished developments for the National Survey which took place in consultation with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of unfinished housing developments in County Carlow identified in 2014/2015 survey is 33.
The following courses of action are being pursued to assist in resolving unfinished housing developments throughout the County:
Continuous consultation with the various stakeholders involved The use of a range of existing legislative provisions available to the Local Authority Financial resources that maybe available to the Local Authority through the claiming of security bonds and/or any grants received from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
DERELICT SITES AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURES In accordance with the Derelict Sites Act 1990 a total of 71 Derelict Sites Notices were issued during 2015.
In accordance with the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act 1964 a total of 16 Notices were issued requesting the owner of the property to carry out works to their properties.
FORWARD PLANNING Forward Planning plays a pivotal role in the physical, economic and social development of County Carlow. Its primary objective is to promote and support sustainable development within the county. It seeks to create vibrant communities, where cultural differences are valued and encouraged, where everyone can be actively involved in economic, social and cultural life, with adequate services and infrastructure to serve the community. The statutory planning functions have regard to national policy, ministerial guidelines and various statutory land use plans adopted at a local level.
CARLOW COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2015-2021 On 3rd August 2015, the Carlow County Development Plan 2015 – 2021 was formally adopted by the Elected Members of Carlow County Council. Whilst preparing the Carlow County Development Plan 2015 – 2021, the Planning Authority had regard to relevant national plans, policies and strategies which relate to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area as well as legislative changes, key recent development trends, such as flooding, climate change, renewable energy and the need to support economic development. It also had regard to inputs throughout the public consultation process, the plans of adjoining Local Authorities and was informed by all necessary environmental studies. The Plan also includes the mandatory objectives which are to be included in Development Plans as set out in the Planning and Development Acts 2000 – 2015. Securing the objectives as outlined in the Development Plan will continue into 2016.
GREATER CARLOW GRAIGUECULLEN URBAN AREA 2012-2018 In November 2015, Amendment no. 1 to the Carlow Town Environs Local Area Plan, incorporated into the Joint Spatial Plan for the Greater Carlow Graiguecullen Urban Area 2012 – 2018. This involved rezoning four separate parcels of land on the Kilkenny Road in Carlow, from ‘amenity and open space’ to reflect the existing usage of the lands as ‘residential’. Preliminary background work to inform the review of the Joint Spatial Plan 2012-2018 will continue in 2016.
LOCAL AREA PLANS Arising from the adoption of the Core Strategy as contained in the Carlow County Development Plan 2015-2021, the planning authority will continue the rolling programme of Local Area Plans with Tullow and Muinebheag / Royal Oak Local Area Plans up for review in 2016.This will involve public consultation as appropriate together with the preparation of relevant environmental studies including flood risk assessment.
OTHER SMALL TOWNS / VILLAGES A variation of the Carlow County Development Plan 2015-2021 will also commence in 2016 to incorporate small towns e.g. Borris, Hacketstown, Ballon, Leighlinbridge and Carrigduff into the County Development Plan. Policies and objectives and a land use zoning map for each of these towns and village will inform the future development of these areas.
SOUTHERN REGIONAL ASSEMBLY The planning authority will continue to contribute to the work of the Southern Regional Assembly to ensure the interests of Carlow are represented at a regional level.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Construction Safety Management The electronic Safety management system for construction related projects was up dated and installed on the Intranet.
Auditing The Fire Service were audited by the NSAI and retained their OHSAS 18001 certification. An internal Health and Safety audit was carried out in the Library Section. Irish Water HSQE carried out an audit of Water Services.
National Safety Management System Implementation Work is continuing on the implementation of the national Safety management system. The Safety Management Implementation Workgroup met three times last year. Twenty two policies have been approved by the group.
Health and Safety Authority Inspections There were no scheduled and two unannounced inspections from the Health and Safety Authority.
Incident Reports 24 incidents were recorded in 2015. 11 were reportable to the Health and Safety Authority.
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, WATER AND ROAD TRANSPORTATION
Environmental Services
The strategic objective of the Environment Section is to protect, conserve and enhance the Environment in County Carlow.
WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES
Powerstown Landfill In August 2012 planning approval was received under Section 175 (Strategic Infrastructure) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 for continued operation of Powerstown landfill site for a period of 6 years to 2018 or until the facility has reached capacity whichever is reached sooner.
Powerstown Landfill facility has consistently operated to a high standard and this is reflected in the Environmental Protection Agency inspection reports carried out on a regular basis where no significant non-compliance issues have arisen.
The Environmental Protection Agency audited the Facility in June 2015 and found everything to be in compliance with expected standards.
The Powerstown Landfill Facility received a revised Licence from the Environmental Protection Agency in October 2015 which increased the annual intake from 40,000 tonne a year to 50,000 tonne a year. At the end of 2015 there is an estimated 40,000 tonnes capacity remaining at the Facility. The Landfill will be full by the end of 2016. Carlow County Council is currently reviewing the options for the future of the Landfill Site post 2016.
Community Fund Applications were sought under phase 3 of the Powerstown Landfill Community Fund from households located within the Powerstown Community Fund designated area and groups and associations serving the area for the funding of projects which will benefit the social and physical environment of the local community.
In 2015 a total number of 59 applications were submitted and considered by the committee which administers the Fund:
47 individual applications 12 community groups
Powerstown Civic Amenity Site The Powerstown Civic Amenity Site is operating in tandem with the Landfill and offering an invaluable service to the public
Bottle and Paper Recycling Bank Network There are currently 27 bring sites and one civic amenity site in the county. Paper collection is provided at 5 sites (Kernanstown, Borris, Myshall, Powerstown and Tullow).
In 2015 Improvement Works were completed at Tullow and Hackettstown bring sites. A paper bank was reintroduced to Tullow and electric gates installed.
The South East Region service contract with Greenstar Ltd. and Glassco Ireland Ltd in respect of the collection/recovery of recyclables has proven successful and will continue.
Powerstown Civic Amenity Site
WASTE MANAGEMENT AND WATER QUALITY REGULATORY ACTIVITY The European Parliament and the Council of Europe provide for minimum criteria for environmental inspections in member states (2001/331/EC). A Recommended Minimum Criteria for Environmental Inspections (RMCEI) Plan was prepared for 2015 and submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency in February 2015. The criteria relate to the environmental inspection of all facilities and enterprises where emissions to water or waste management activities are subject to regulation under European Union Law.
Routine scheduled environmental inspections are carried out by Carlow County Council in accordance with the Recommended Minimum Criteria for Environmental Inspections Plan to fulfill obligations under Waste, Water and Air Legislation. Un-scheduled inspections are also carried out in response to complaints received. Inspection activities are examined to determine the facilities which carry the greatest degree of environmental risk. Based on these risk assessments resources will be concentrated. In addition to risk assessment there are also national priorities to be taken into account as follows;
Water Waste Air Septic Tank Inspections Domestic Food Waste Air Complaints Regulations Water Complaints Waste Complaints Deco Paints Regulations Farm Inspections: Sewage Commercial Food Waste Solvents Regulations Sludge Regulations Regulations Section 4 Licenses
In 2015 scheduled Inspections have taken place under these priority headings as follows:
Water Inspections Discharge License’s, Section 4s 9 Farm Inspections: Sewage Sludge Regs 27 Septic Tanks 12 Water Complaints 40 Waste Inspections Commercial Food Waste Regulations 3 Waste Complaints 42
Listed below are details of the non-scheduled inspections completed during 2015:
Category Number of Inspections Waste 42 Water Pollution 40 Air Pollution 16 Noise 9 Litter 1236
A total of 107 complaints (excluding litter) were received by the Environment Department and investigated during 2015. In many cases more than one site inspection is required in relation to complaints.
Enforcement action taken on Waste Management Inspections The following action was taken in relation to the routine and non-routine inspections:
Action Taken Issued 2015 Warning letters issued 20 Notice issued under Section 12 of the Water pollution Act 1997 7 Requests for further information in accordance with Section 23 of the Water Pollution Act 1977 4 Notice issued under Section 34 of the Waste Management Act 1996 3 Notice issued under Section 55 of the Waste Management Act 1996 3 Notice issued under Section 18 of the Waste Management Act 1996 3
Number of Litter Fines issued A total of 148 litter fines were issued in 2015. Of these 48 were paid, 10 part paid, 34 cancelled and 16 cases went to court and 40 remain outstanding. In many cases of illegal dumping evidence cannot be located. Where material has been found a large number of fines issued are returned as undelivered where the individual has left that address.
WASTE POLICY The Southern Waste Management Plan was launched on the 14th May 2015 in the Limerick Institute of Technology in Tipperary.
The making of a Waste Management Plan is an executive function under Section 22(10), and in particular Section 22(10)(a) and (d), of the Waste Management Act 1996.
The 10 Chief Executives in the Southern Region signed an Order for the making of the Plan in June 2014.
The key objective of the Plan is “managing waste in a sustainable and self-sufficient manner”. The Plan strives to encourage the minimisation of waste generated and to view waste as a valuable material resource which in turn will lead to a healthier environment and sustainable opportunities for the economy.
Liam Fitzgerald, A/Director of Services; Fionnghuala Ryan, Environmental Awareness Officer; Jerry Crowley, A/Senior Executive Officer representing Carlow County Council at the launch of the Southern Regional Waste Management Plan on the 14th May 2015.
PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS Green Schools The Environmental Awareness Officer (EAO) continued to promote the Green Schools Programme and provide assistance to schools in County Carlow. 15 schools were presented with Green Flags at an awards ceremony in Kilkenny on 21st May 2015:
Litter & Waste St Michaels’s National School, Newtown, Borris
Energy Carlow Vocational School SN Fiontain Naofa, Rathmore
Water Holy Family Girls NS, Askea, Carlow St Brigids NS, Muinebheag
Travel BEAM Services, Muinebheag Grange NS, Grange Scoil Treasa Naofa, Tynock
Biodiversity Ballinabranna NS Ballon NS Myshall NS St Patrick’s NS, Myshall
Green Homes Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Tullow
Global Citizenship: Litter & Waste Scoil Mhuire gan Smal, Carlow St Mary’s Academy CBS, Carlow
As part of this role the Environmental Awareness Officer arranged tours of Powerstown Recycling Facility and assisted a number of schools and teachers in County Carlow including:-
Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Tullow
The Environmental Awareness Officer also visited a number of schools during the year and gave talks on a wide variety of environmental issues including:
Ballinkillen National School Rathoe National School Bennekerry National School St. Mary’s CBS.
The Environmental Awareness Officer worked with the Library Service during National Science Week in mid-November. Energy workshops were given to students in Carlow, Tullow and Muinebheag branch libraries.
Teachers from schools across County Carlow attended the Green Schools seminar which was held in County Hall on 17th September 2015.
National Tree Week Carlow County Council gave out 300 native saplings to residents associations and tidy towns groups throughout the county during National Tree Week 2015. The week was launched by the Cathaoirleach Fergal Browne at a tree planting ceremony in An Gairdin Beo, Community Garden at St. Leo’s College, Carlow on Friday 6th March.
Waste Prevention and Resource Efficiency In 2015 Carlow County Council continued to promote waste prevention.
In June 2015 the Environmental Section promoted reusable bottles working with local groups such as the Develop Tullow Association for their 5k Father’s Day Fun Run.
In February 2015 the Environment Section ran a food waste advert at Omniplex Cinema Carlow informing Carlovians of the need to prevent food waste.
Master Composter Programme Carlow County Council recently offered an opportunity to join a nationwide network of Master Composter Volunteers with the launch of the first Master Composter Training Programme in Carlow.
Master Composters are community volunteers who promote food and garden waste prevention and encourage people to compost at home. Twenty four volunteers attended four training evenings in October/November and built a composting “Demonstration Site” in An Gairdín Beo on Saturday 21st November.
Working with Community Groups The Environmental Awareness Officer continued to support the Community Section and local community groups throughout the county attending meetings and giving talks on various issues such as greening your festival.
The Environmental Awareness Officer continued to support the Pride of Place awards attending the awards night at Mount Wolseley Hotel on 22nd October 2015.
National Environmental Awareness Network The Environmental Awareness Officer is a member of the National Environmental Awareness Network which meets three times annually at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government headquarters in Custom House, Dublin.
Farm Hazardous Waste Collection Carlow County Council collaborated with the Environmental Protection Agency, Teagasc, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Local Authorities, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland and Enva Ireland Limited to operate a collection of farm hazardous waste in Tullow Mart on Monday 9th November. This provides farmers with an excellent opportunity to dispose of their hazardous wastes in a manner that protects human health, livestock and the environment.
VETERINARY SERVICE Carlow County Council has a shared services agreement with Kilkenny County Council for the provision of a Veterinary Service for the supervision of the agri food businesses in the Carlow County Council area. This work is carried out as part of a Service Level Agreement between the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and Carlow County Council for 2015. The Veterinary Public Health and Animal Welfare functions include providing official controls/regulation of slaughterhouses and small meat processing plants and small poultry slaughtering plants (includes on farm slaughter of poultry i.e. seasonal slaughter).
There are five food premises supervised by Kilkenny County Council in the Carlow area and one application for a food premises was received. The veterinary work in the Carlow area was tendered in August 2014 and there is a new service provider in place since mid-October 2014.
CARLOW KILKENNY ENERGY AGENCY Public Sector Partnership Programme Under Statutory Instrument 542 of 2009 (European Communities Energy End Use Efficiency & Energy Service, Regulations), public sector bodies are required to report annually on energy performance. A cross functional energy monitoring and reduction group has been established with a view to forming an energy management plan to meet monitoring and reduction requirements.
Carlow County Council has signed up to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Public Sector Partnership programme. This programme includes energy mapping and helps public bodies to save money, improve the environment and meet national obligations by making significant reductions in energy use. The programme is facilitated by the setting up of an Energy Map Team in Carlow County Council.
By engaging with the energy mapping model it will be possible to closely monitor all energy consumption within the organisation including electricity, gas and fuel, targeting savings in each area.
Carlow County Council actively pursued its Energy Management Action Programme (Energy MAP) in 2015. The main energy consumption across our range services are electricity (73% public lighting), transport fuel, and heating provision to our buildings and facilities.
Actions Undertaken in 2015 Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency proactively engaged with Carlow County Council in 2015. As part of the Energy Management Action Programme team process, a number of projects had been identified and evaluated for implementation in 2015. Projects completed included:
Energy Awareness Campaign Public Lighting Inventory Pilot Project Carlow County Council Housing Stock – energy efficiency upgrades including insulation, window upgrades, heating upgrades, lighting upgrades
During these projects, Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency provided procurement and technical support, as well as on-site supervision and post installation measurement and verification.
Public Sector Partnership Programme - During 2015, the Energy Management Action Programme team continued to meet to promote energy efficiency. Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency assisted in the annual Monitoring and Reporting to Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for 2014. The result showed that Carlow County Council had reached 15.5% of its 2020 33% obligatory target by the end of 2014.
Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency continued to assist on review of bill data and assisted Carlow County Council in the transition to Irish Water. Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency also assisted in the tendering process which led to a change of energy suppliers in October 2014. Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency offered advice on the proposed structure around the new accounts and how best to manage same and continue to offer advice on bills and bill analysis.
Actions Planned for 2015/2016 In 2015, Carlow County Council continued to improve our energy performance by undertaking the following initiatives:
Submit annual energy data to Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, in accordance with SI 426 of 2014 Monitoring & Reporting, in order to better track energy performance within Carlow County Council. Improve monitoring and recording of energy consumption data for future reporting. Continue with social housing retrofit scheme across Carlow County. Review performance of vehicle fleet and improve monitoring and recording of consumption data. Continue with Energy Awareness Campaign. Complete an Organisational Energy Audit in line with SI 426 of 2014 to identify Significant Energy Users. Install 34.6kwh of PV panels on County Hall Roof. Internal Lighting upgrade at County Hall. Implement a pilot project to reduce energy consumption in the County Hall server room and using heat recovery system to heat other areas of the building. Heating boiler Upgrade in Carlow Town Hall Heating controls upgrade in McGrath Hall
These projects will save 72,890kWh of energy, equivalent to 1.4% of current demand.
Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency has engaged with each of the Energy Management Action Programme team members and assisted in identifying and quantifying associated energy savings with potential energy efficiency projects and engaging with contractors to identify costs.
Through Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland funding obtained by Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency, Carlow County Council implemented energy efficiency projects under the Better Energy Workplace Program.
“The Covenant of Mayors” The Covenant of Mayors is a European movement to mobilise local and regional authorities to meet and exceed the European Union 20-20-20 targets: 20% decrease in Greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels 20% reduction in primary energy use by improving energy efficiency 20% of European Union energy consumption to come from renewable resources
It is a voluntary commitment signed up to by the Mayor of a County or Municipality. The main aim of the Covenant of Mayors is to improve quality of life for citizens in the local area, in this case County Carlow by building a Local Community where the public sector, private sector, citizens & grass root organisations work together to target CO2 emissions and implement energy efficiency and renewable strategies. This will provide the following benefits:
reducing energy consumption and energy bills. better funding opportunities (European Union and National Grant Aid). offering a stable environment for business & creating new jobs. contributing to the global fight against human accelerated climate change . demonstrating commitment to environmental protection. improving local energy security.
Carlow County Council, by joining the Covenant of Mayors, will open itself up to a wide and various source of both technical, advisory and financial assistance in achieving the objectives of the European Union Energy Directive and the requirement to achieve the national objective of a 20% reduction in CO2 by 2020.
Joining the Covenant of Mayors will forward Carlow’s drive to achieve greater Energy Efficiency, and will place Carlow County Council as a leader in the national drive to forward the need to take measures to counter the adverse effects of Greenhouse gases and climate change.
Being a member of the Covenant of Mayors will also facilitate Carlow County Councils access to a wide range of funding for Energy Projects.
The Cathaoirleach, attended an Information Exchange Event held by Tipperary County Council on the 27th March 2015.
In August 2015 Carlow County Council adopted a resolution to mandate the Cathaoirleach to sign the Covenant Adhesion Form.
Carlow County Council have set up a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) Steering Committee and will be progressing the making of a Sustainable Energy Action Plan in 2016.
TRANSITION TO IRISH WATER In April 2012 the Government announced the reform of public water services. There are three elements to this reform process:
1) The creation of a public water utility, Irish Water, which will take over responsibility, for delivering public water and waste water services, from the local Authorities. 2) The appointment of a new economic regulator for the public water sector. The Commission for Energy Regulation will be responsible for determining the cost of water services to the consumer. 3) A new funding regime based on domestic water charges and raising capital on international markets, so that in the future Irish Water will be financially self-sustaining.
These measures represent one of the most ambitious reform programmes undertaken in the history of the State. In parallel, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is reviewing the structures for implementation of the European Union Water Framework Directive in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency and Local Authorities.
On the 1st January 2014 Irish Water was officially created. Carlow County Council continues to provide water and waste water services on behalf of Irish Water under a Service Level Agreement. This agreement sets out in detail the working arrangements for the continued provision of water and waste water services to the public.
The transition involves the complete reorganisation of our service delivery structures and staff are committed to the successful implementation of the change process while maintaining high levels of service delivery. To assist with the transition to Irish Water, Water Services were centralised in Quarter 1 2014. New Information Technology systems, procurement systems and reporting systems have been introduced and staff in Water Services are being trained in the use of the new Irish Water Systems.
From April 2014 a centralised call centre based in Cork has been dealing with all Water Services related queries which will in turn be passed on the Local Authorities for action.
Carlow County Council is one of the Pilot Counties for the introduction of the new Maximo System, which assists in the management of the workflow.
During 2015 Carlow County Council operated within the Service Level Agreement in accordance with the 2015 Annual Service Plan agreed with Irish Water.
Projects Completed in 2015 - Hacketstown Waste Water Treatment Plant: New Waste Water Treatment Plant with capacity of 2,000 P.E. (population equivalent) at cost of €1.02m. Rathvilly Waste Water Treatment Plant: New Waste Water Treatment Plant with capacity of 2,000 P.E. (population equivalent) at cost of €0.98m. Tullow Waste Water Treatment Plant: Upgrade works to Ouragh pump station and rising main, new diffusion aeration system, storm pumps at cost of €680,000. Bagenalstown Waste Water Treatment Plant: upgrade works to inlet works and new aeration diffusion system at a cost of €300,000. Rathvilly Waste Water Treatment Plant
Hacketstown Waste Water Treatment Plant
RURAL WATER PROGRAMME
There are four Group Water Schemes in the Carlow County Council functional area. These are:
Ballinabrannagh Group Water Scheme Glynn St Mullins Group Water Scheme Ballyellen Group Water Scheme Ballyloughan Group Water Scheme
Carlow County Council monitors these Group Water Schemes for water quality and administers the payment of Subsidies to the Group Water Schemes. Carlow County Council also supervises and manages the allocation of Capital Grants on a yearly basis. The following grants were allocated to the Group Water Schemes in 2015.
Group Water Scheme Name Grant Purpose (85% of Cost) Ballinabrannagh Group Water Scheme €81,329 Upgrade to Networks Glynn St Mullins Group Water Scheme €67,406 Upgrade to Networks
Group Sewerage Scheme Name Grant Purpose (75% of Cost) Tullowlands Group Sewerage Scheme €27,628 Connect 5 Septic Tanks to Public Sewer
FLOOD RELIEF WORKS
Over the past number of years the Office of Public Works in consultation with the Local Authorities have been undertaking a Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Scheme (CFRAMS). Detailed flood modelling has taken place throughout county Carlow concentrating particularly on areas that have experienced fluvial flooding. These maps have been published on the Office of Public Works website and workshops have taken place throughout County Carlow inviting members of the public to make submissions. The Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Scheme will guide future investment in Flood Protection Schemes and contribute to development decisions in the future.
Areas identified where flooding has taken place or areas at risk of flooding will be considered for flood mitigation measures and the Office of Public Works in association with Carlow County Council will evaluate areas at risk. The following Scheme was carried out in 2015:
No Name Cost Purpose a. Minor Flood Alleviation €37,000 To prevent flooding to 20 houses in Mill Race Works at Paupish Lane Housing Estate and prevent flooding to the roads in Carlow Town network in the Paupish Lane area of Carlow Town. Current Status: Works Complete
WATER QUALITY
RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN The South Eastern River Basin Management Plan was adopted by all local authorities in the South East and published, with ministerial amendments, in July 2010. The plan and associated background documents can be found on www.wfdireland.ie
The plan provides a framework within which our waters will be managed into the future, seeking to bring all our waters up to a minimum “good standard” and provide for sustainable development to everybody’s mutual benefit. The Plan also gave a commitment to review governance and structures for implementation arrangements with a view to making the best use of resources while achieving the objectives of the plan. In this context and with a view to re- activating the implementation of the River Basin Plans a new 3 Tier Structure is now being implemented.
Tier One - National Management and oversight led by the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government. Tier Two - National Technical Coordination & Implementation, led by the Environmental Protection Agency. Tier Three - Lead by Local Authorities = Regional & Local Implementation via Networks consisting of local authorities, public authorities and environmental stakeholders.
Tier one and Tier two are now in place and in 2015 Kilkenny/Tipperary Local Authorities were appointed as the Lead Authorities to head up Tier three of the Plan.
In 2015 the Environmental Protection Agency Co-Ordination and Implementation Group have completed setting up and they will visit Local Authorities and identify the problem areas within each county during 2016.
A Regional Co-Ordinator for the Southern Region, which includes Carlow, has been appointed.
Three Technical Support Personnel will also be appointed in early 2016 to provide technical support to the project.
There will also be an additional twelve Community Officers appointed in early 2016.
Local Authorities will also take over responsibility for sampling of all waters. This work was previously done by Environmental Protection Agency personnel.
The eight River Basin Districts are now disbanded and there is one River Basin District for the entire country.
There will now be only one River Basin Management Plan prepared for the Republic of Ireland and this is now the responsibility of the Environment Protection Agency.
The next River Basin Management Plan should have been made in 2015 but Ireland has received a derogation and the Plan is now to be prepared by 2017.
1. River Water Quality
County Carlow has one of the lowest percentages of waters with Good Status in the country at 35%. This is a problem in all South East Counties and is primarily due to the intensive levels of agriculture in these counties.
The Environmental Protection Agency sample twenty rivers for chemical parameters annually, on behalf of Carlow County Council at forty four sampling stations. Q-value is done on a rolling three year cycle.
There are eleven sites where Q value is < 4, i.e. less than Good Status
Aghalona Friarstown Bridge Aghalona Moatalusha House Blacklion Stream U/S Dereen Confluence Burren Ullard Bridge Burren Staplestown Bridge Burren Carlow Town Dereen Rathglass Bridge Douglas Ballon Sragh Bridge Douglas Ballon Bang Up Cross Old Leighlin Stream Madlin Bridge Lerr Lerr Bridge
There has been a general improvement since 2007 and no sites failed the chemistry test since 2007.
Carlow County Council upload all information relevant to water quality unto its website. This includes updated details of results of all check monitoring and audit monitoring carried out, all audits of Water Treatment Plants by Environmental Protection Agency and any other relevant information.
Carlow County Council also monitors all Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies within its functional area. Small Private Supplies include schools and Bed & Breakfasts on private supplies.
Under the Drinking Regulations 2014 Carlow County Council is the Water Authority for all Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies within its functional area.
INDIVIDUAL WELL GRANTS Carlow County Council process Well Grants for suitably qualified applicants. Grants are up to a maximum of €2,031.58 per application or 75% of the costs incurred.
It is currently anticipated that these grants will continue into 2016.
Activity Number January – December 2015 No. of applications received 52 Total Number of grants paid 51 Total Amount Paid out €80,309.55
STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEE (SPC) The Transportation, Environmental and Infrastructural Strategic Policy Committee discussed the following issues at meetings held during 2015 in respect of Environment & Water Services
South East Catchment Flood Risk Assessment & Management Process South Region Draft Waste Management Plan Introduction of new Household Waste Legislation (Circular WP01/15) Revision of Subsidy towards Operational Costs of Group Water Schemes (Circular L1/15) Covenant of Mayors/Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency Climate Change Strategy/Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency Rural Water Programme Bye Laws – Prohibition of Consumption of Intoxicating Liquor on Streets & Public Places Review of Burial Ground Byelaws Powerstown Landfill Developer-Provided Water Services Infrastructure Irish Water Update
ROAD TRANSPORTATION
The primary objective of the Roads and Transportation Department is to provide, subject to financial and human resource constraints, a well-maintained public road network. County Carlow has approximately 1212km of public road infrastructure.
Maintenance of the network is integral to the economic prosperity of a county. It is essential to have good access to Dublin, the ports, and the large towns of the region. For local economic, social and recreational purposes it is also essential that the regional and local road asset base is maintained to the highest possible standards consistent with available funding. The range of services provided by the department includes the administration of Abnormal Load Permits, Operation of the Municipal District Offices, Compulsory Purchase Orders, Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), Community Involvement in Roadworks Scheme (CIR), Part 8 Public Consultation, Paid-Parking and Parking Byelaws, Public Lighting, Road Opening Licenses, Roads and Services in Charge, Taking-In-Charge process, Road Safety, Speed Limit Review, Temporary Road Closure, Traffic Management and Budgetary Control and preparation.
PROGRESS ON CAPITAL PROJECTS Carlow Outer Relief Route The Carlow Eastern Relief Road forms part of an Outer Relief Road system for Carlow which will enhance traffic mobility around the town periphery and also provide a platform for future development at the town edge.
The Southern phase of the Outer Relief Road scheme has advanced to preliminary design stage and is now ready to proceed to Compulsory Purchase Order stage. Following advance land acquisition and preparation of detailed design for the construction of a roundabout at the N80 at Ballinacarrig, which forms part of this Southern Phase of the Outer Relief Road, funding was secured to allow construction to commence in late 2015 and works are expected to be completed by June 2016.
Tullow Outer Relief Road The Tullow Outer Relief Road involves the construction of a new road from the N81 Bunclody Road to the R725 Shillelagh Road. The total scheme length is 3.3 km. The road will comprise 5 No Roundabouts, 2 No priority junctions and a new bridge over the River Slaney upstream of the existing. The Part 8 public consultation process has been completed. Detailed design work including the preparation of an environmental report has been advanced. Site investigation has been undertaken for the entire of the project. The majority of the land required for the project has also been acquired. Work commenced on this road in 2008, but due to the funding constraints from Central Government no works were undertaken in 2015. This scheme is still very important in terms of relieving traffic congestion in Tullow town and the Council expects to return to this project in the short to medium term.
Muinebheag Relief Road The scheme comprises the construction of 1360 meters of roadway of average width 7.3 meters, with a combined grass verge/footpath, and cycle lane on both sides of width 5.3 meters. The scheme extends from the end of the part completed road which serves the Business Park on the Royal Oak Road and will terminate on the R705 Borris Road. The lands on both sides of the road will be developed over time and will be accessed by 5 No roundabouts. The junction between the proposed road and the R705 Borris Road will be by means of a roundabout. It will be necessary to construct a road-under-rail bridge to go under the Waterford to Dublin railway line at Kilree. Design of the road was completed in 2009 and the Part 8 Public Consultation Process was completed in 2010. The scheme will help to relieve traffic congestion in Muinebheag and the Council expects to return to this project in the medium term.
ROAD MAINTENANCE The policy of the Council is to maintain, develop and improve existing roads and to construct new roads as financial resources permit.
The administrative area of Carlow has a road network of 1,212 km comprising of:
Motorway 24 km National Secondary 54 km Regional 186 km Local 948 km
National Roads Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) formally known as the National Roads Authority provides funding for National roads and in 2015 an allocation of €238,000 was available for maintenance of bridges and carriageways on the county’s National Secondary roads N80 and N81. In addition to the foregoing Transport Infrastructure Ireland also provided funding to improve sections of the network where the skid resistance had declined to levels below those required. This programme of works is referred to as the HD28 programme and in 2015 a sum of €188,000 was provided and spent. The works involved in some instances the provision of a new surface course and at other locations re-texturing of the existing surface was the preferred option. Works were carried out at the following locations namely: o N80 Huntsman Cross o N80 O’Brien Rd o N80 Dr Cullen Road o N81 Tullow to Rathvilly to Baltinglass surfacing o N81 Tullow to Rathvilly retexturing Further funding was applied for through the Transport Infrastructure Ireland Web Based Asset Management System site for minor improvements to road pavements and footpaths on both the N80 and N81 at 19 separate locations in the county. A total sum of €259,300 was allocated for these works. Non-National Roads The Department of Transport, Tourism & Sports allocate funding for the Non National road network in the county. This supplements the funding that Carlow County Council provides from its own resources for maintenance of the non-national network. The total allocation received from the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport initially in 2015 was the order of €3.6m across a range of programs including Restoration Improvement, Restoration Maintenance, Discretionary Maintenance, Special Improvement, Community Involvement, Low Cost Safety and Bridges and Training.
Restoration Improvement and Restoration Maintenance Program. This program funded by the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sports targets much needed surfacing and pavement improvements on regional and local roads in the county. The scheme is subject to a number of conditions including, timelines, a multi annual program, length of roads resurfaced, and proportions of regional roads to be included. The funding provided in 2015 enabled almost 70 km of regional and local roads to be resurfaced and overlaid. The initial allocation to Carlow for 2015 was for the sum of €1.91m in Restoration Improvement and €0.54 in Restoration Maintenance. A supplementary grant of €309,700 was allocated mid-year. This additional allocation allowed for proportions of the funding to be allocated to both Community Involvement in Roadwork Scheme and Local Improvement Scheme. Expressions of interests/applications were invited, there were 59 Community Involvement in Roadwork Scheme applications and 47 Local Improvement Scheme applications. In addition much needed works were undertaken at Roscat, Royal Oak and Spearpoint.
The schemes undertaken in 2015 under these categories included almost 50 separate road resurfacing schemes which were agreed at Municipal District Meetings to form part of the Annual Service Plan for Roads.
Surface dressing at Fenagh 2015
Surface dressing Ballycrogue to Kellistown 2015 Low Cost Safety Schemes Carlow County Council is committed to improving road safety on the roads of Carlow. In this regard Carlow County Council welcomes the opportunity provided by the low cost safety scheme funded by the Transport Infrastructure Ireland on national roads and the Department of Transport on non-national roads to carry out minor junction improvement works and improvement to signage in areas where there is an established accident history.
In 2015 improvement works were carried out at the following locations with a budget of €130,000 provided:- Ballinree Cross Ballymurphy/Scullogue Brownshill Cross Ballybannon Grangeford Slaneyquarter Tobinstown
Speed Limits The Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport issued new Guidelines for the application of Special Speed Limits in 2015. Circulars were issued in relation to the implementation namely RSD01/2015 and RW 8/2015 and RW12/2015. The key issues related to the implementation 30kph zones in Housing Estates, the introduction of the new Rural Speed Limit sign and the removal of what was termed inappropriate signage. These were discussed at the Strategic Policy Committee on 25/5/15 and were discussed at the respective Municipal District Meetings.
The Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport allocated a sum of €66,900 in respect of the provision of special speed limits in housing estates and works to implement the scheme commenced during 2015. It is hoped to complete the project to all housing estates in charge in 2016.
The Guidelines require that Carlow County Council review the speed limit schedule and sets recommended timelines to achieve this.
Bridge Strengthening Program Funding allocated by the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport allowed for the reconstruction of Newtown Bridge, Borris and the design of improvement works for bridges at Spearpoint and Acaun. In addition principal inspections were carried out on a number of strategic bridges in the county. Total expenditure in this category was of the order of €100,000.
Newtown Bridge Culvert Replacement
Pavement Management Office and Pavement Management System and Roads Administration Carlow County Council has actively engaged with the new Pavement Management Office and has participated in pilot schemes to develop systems which ultimately will be introduced as a national pavement management system for the country’s road network. The system will accurately record works completed annually using hand held Global Positioning System enabled portable computers and will form the basis for decisions relating to future investment into the road network. The system will be extended to include on line application and processing for road opening licences, scaffold and skip licences and abnormal road permits. The system will include a condition rating for each road in the county, and will form the basis for key performance indicators into the future.
In 2015 the Roads Administration office processed:- 244 Residents Parking Permits, 69 Abnormal Load Permits, 192 Roads and Services In Charge requests, 90 Road Opening Licences , 7 Skip Permits 596 Parking Fine appeals.
Public Lighting Carlow County Council provided the sum of €750,000 towards the cost of operating the public lighting system in the county in 2015. The greater proportion of this budget is expended on energy costs.
The energy provider for our 6500 plus lights is procured through the National Procurement Service and is tendered regularly to ensure competitive costs. Carlow’s lighting stock is comprised of a number of different types of lighting, 54% are low pressure sodium (the orange lights) 44% are high pressure sodium (pale yellow to white) and the remainder consist of metal halide and LED lights (both very white light) and a few old mercury lights (pink lights). Similar to every other local authority, the majority of lights are on an unmetered supply and the cost is based on an agreed number of burn hours for the year and the wattage of the lights.
While there is a reasonable database showing the co-ordinates of the lights, the information linking this to power consumption is poor due to the fact that most of these records were held by the Electricity Supply Board. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland are anxious that every Local Authority should update their databases and offered a grant to carry out this work. Five local Authorities were successful in getting this grant of which Carlow was one. The grant is for 75% of the survey costs to a maximum of €37,500. This survey was tendered through e-tenders and Airtricity Utility Solutions (AUS) were the successful tenderer and the survey has commenced in 2016. This will result in 44 categories of information being recorded about every single public light in the county and 22 categories of information about other lights such as traffic lights, school lights, flood lights, pedestrian crossing lights etc. This will facilitate future replacement some of the more inefficient light types with more modern and energy efficient lights.
The maintenance contract for the servicing of public lights, entered into as a shared service with the other counties in the South East, is with the contractor Airtricity Utility Solutions. This contract was extended for a further 12 month period in March 2015. Carlow County Council did enter this shared service contract to achieve economies of scale and our continued participation will have to be considered as part of our future strategy with regards maintenance and light replacement.
R448 Roundabout at Mortarstown The advanced works associated with the construction of a new third level and second level college at Mortarstown on the R448 commenced in September 2015. These works include the extension of the public lighting system to the area, the construction of footpaths, cycle ways, pedestrian crossings and a new roundabout at the entrance. Works associated with the advance works are expected to be completed by June 2016.
Carlow County Council Own Resources Funding Carlow County Council provided a sum of €1.3m from its own resources to supplement the grants made available by the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport (DTTAS) towards the upkeep and maintenance of the non- national road network. In addition a sum of €0.5m was allocated from levies collected as part of Development Charges levied through the Planning and Development Act. The individual schemes to be funded under this program were agreed at Municipal District Level and then adopted as part of the annual service plan for the respective Districts. It included works such as new lighting, new footpaths, pedestrian crossings etc.
STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEE (SPC) The Transportation, Environmental and Infrastructural Strategic Policy Committee discussed the following issues at meetings held during 2015 in respect of Roads
2015 Roadworks Allocation & Programme Community Involvement Scheme Rural Transport Local Area Hackney Licences 2015 Speed Limit Review and Special Speed Limits for Housing Estates “Policy on private lanes/ Local Improvement Schemes
HOUSING, RECREATION AND AMENITY AND
SPECIAL PROJECTS AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
HOUSING It is the policy of the Housing Section of Carlow County Council
To enable every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and as far as possible at a tenure of their choice. To promote home ownership and a thriving more diverse and well managed rented sector, both public and private. To maintain the living and construction standards of all properties to a high standard To liaise with our tenants and social partners to ensure that present and future requirements are expedited.
Carlow County Council’s activities as a Housing Authority can be summarised under the following headings:
The provision, management and maintenance of rented Social Housing The review and update of social housing demand The provision of self-help grants to enable tenants carry out improvements to their homes The promotion of home ownership by encouraging the housing procurement alternatives (mortgage allowance, home loans etc.) The improvement of accommodation, for both the elderly and disabled persons, by way of grant assistance under Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability, Mobility Aids Grants and Housing Aid for Older People Grants. The provision and management of accommodation for vulnerable groups The facilitation of approved voluntary and non-profit housing organisations in the provision of housing and communal facilities. Operation of Rental Accommodation Scheme/Leasing schemes and the Housing Assistance Payment for social housing provision. Operation of the Mortgage to Rent Scheme.
Housing and Social Policy Strategic Policy Committee The Housing, Recreation, Amenity and Community Strategic Policy Committee met on five occasions in 2015, and under the Chairmanship of Councillor Jennifer Murnane O’Connor discussed the strategic requirements in respect of housing provision and social development. Members were briefed on and considered the following:-
National Differential Rents Scheme Housing Assistance Payment Housing Allocation Scheme National Housing Strategy 2020 Capital Projects 2015-2017 Homelessness Implementation of Pt. 2 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2014.
Housing Activity in 2015 The Council meets housing need in the county by the direct provision of accommodation or assisting individuals to provide their own accommodation. Improvement Works in Lieu of Re-housing, Housing Aid for Older People, Mobility Aids Grants and Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability also contributed to meeting housing need by adapting the existing homes to meet the needs of the occupants. Details of direct social housing provision are as follows:
Housing Capital Programme – construction of six houses in Borris completed in Dec 2015 and 20 purchased throughout the County
Currently there are twenty four properties at various locations throughout the County leased by the Council under Long Term Leasing Scheme and allocated to social housing applicants.
Properties rented throughout the County in order to provide accommodation under the Rental Accommodation Scheme. Currently there are four Local Authority properties and four AHB properties in the Mortgage to Rent scheme (eight in total).
2015 saw the continued increase in the number of loan applications with forty five applications received for house purchases and reconstructions. There were thirteen final approvals with a number of applications currently being processed. Details of loan activity for 2015 is set out in the table below:
Loan Type Apps Final Value € Rec’d Approvals SDA 43 13 1,142,500 Shared Own. 0 0 Nil Reconstruction 2 0 Nil Affordable SDA 0 0 Nil Total 45 13 1,142,500
Carlow County Council provided total funding of €1,626,000 for disability and elderly grants during 2015, which assisted a large number of households to cater for their housing need within their own homes.
Number Total Paid to 2015 of Grant Paid Applicants 2015 Housing Adaptation Grant 58 522,000
Mobility Aids Grant 55 300,000
Housing Aid for Older People Grant 189 804,000
Total Paid 2015 1,626,000
Housing Capital Programme 2015
The National Housing Strategy 2020 was launched by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in 2014. The DOECLG published national targets for direct provision and leasing of social units. Carlow County Council on foot of proposals submitted to meet its targets, provisional approvals was issued to the Council in May, 2015 for the provision of sixty two units at various locations throughout the County for the period 2015 – 2017. The table below sets out the housing capital funds received by the Council in 2015.
Carlow County Council Subhead Funds Received 2015 € LA Housing 1,726,000 CAS/ Voluntary 405,000 Void Properties 301,000 CALF (Voluntary) 30,000 Regeneration/Remedial 0 Works IWIL’s,DPG, Extensions 250,000 Energy Efficiency 789,000 Total 3,501,000
Local Authority Housing Funding was received which allowed Carlow County Council complete construction of 6 No. Houses at Woodlawn Park, Borris, and purchase of twenty dwellings. The scheme in Borris was completed and occupied in 2015. Two further properties were purchased by Carlow Voluntary Housing Associaiton (Tintean) with the aid of CAS funding to cater for the needs of persons with a specific needs.
Extensions Funding of €249,550 was received from DOECLG in 2015 for the provision of extensions, adaptation works to local authority properties. Two properties were extended and one other property which had major adaptations carried out. Additionally, twenty two minor adaptations were completed to properties for persons with a disability throughout the County.
Energy Efficiency Programme The Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government continued to fund the improvement of social housing stock in 2015 with grant aid of €788,862 for energy efficiency works to housing stock. Works were completed on three hundred and forty four properties.
Traveller Accommodation The Traveller Accommodation Plan (2014 – 2018) was adopted in February 2014 with accommodation targets as detailed in the table hereunder.
Accommodation Plan 2014 – No. of Actual in 2018 families 2015 Rural single instance 2 0 Estate / Group homes/RAS/LTL 20 7 Other/ Private rented 87 11 Total 109 18
During 2015 seven families were accommodated in properties provided under the Rental Accommodation Scheme, local authority standard housing and long term leasing.
Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) A total of twenty five new units were taken on to the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) by Carlow County Council in 2015 with forty one new tenants appointed to properties. With the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment in June, 2015, new RAS tenancies will be phased out. Only in specific cases, i.e. to replace RAS properties leaving the scheme, that new properties will be taken on. The total RAS properties at 31st December was 565.
A summary of RAS activity is set out in the table below:
RAS Activity Carlow Co. Co. 2015 To date Client Interviews 62 1,593 RAS eligible appointed to Social Housing 32 292 Inspections of private rented properties 241 1,883 Transfers to RAS properties 45 754 Target transfers 2015 40
Housing Assistance Payment The Housing Assistance Payment which came into operation in Carlow on 29th June, 2015. This Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a new form of social housing support which replaces rent supplement for households with a long-term housing need. All applications for HAP are made locally to the Council. The applicant for HAP sources own accommodation and pays a contribution to the Council based on the applicants income. The rent up to set limits, dependent on household composition is paid directly to the landlord. One hundred and six applicants with long term housing need had completed HAP tenancies at 31st December, 2015.
Housing Needs Assessment
The number of applicants included on the Carlow County Council Housing List at 31st December, 2015 is detailed below.
Authority No. qualified on list 31st Dec 2015 Carlow County Council 1,346 Approx no. in receipt of rent 980 supplement Net need 366
Provision for the Homeless.
The St. Vincent De Paul Monastery Hostel continues to play an important role in meeting the need of those seeking emergency accommodation. Carlow County Council continued its financial support of the hostel during 2015. The tenancy sustainment service provided through the St. Vincent De Paul Monastery Hostel has been continued in 2015 and proved very beneficial. National Policy now focuses on a regional approach to the provision of homeless services. Waterford City Council is the lead authority for the South East supported by a Regional Forum and Management Group made up of members from regional local authorities, Health Service Executive and other agencies.
The focus of the National Policy is for the elimination of hostel type accommodation and a move to self-catering accommodation with supports provided by the relevant agencies. The Homeless Action Teams within each county is tasked with ensuring that all homeless or those in danger of becoming homeless are provided with every available support in order to assist in sustaining tenancies. The Homeless Action team meet fortnightly in Carlow. In addition a drop- in clinic is held in the County Offices every Wednesday. Carlow has been very successful in implementing National policy in ensuring that individuals are assisted in moving on to private rented accommodation supported by the Tenant Sustainment Officer within the 6 month timeframe despite the difficulties in the private rented market.
RECREATION & AMENITY AND SPECIAL PROJECTS
Ducketts Grove Castle and Walled Gardens This amenity facilitated several events including Christmas and Easter Markets in 2015. The main buildings are of increasing interest to National and International Paranormal science groups. South East Radio and Beat FM have had several broadcasts relating to the supernatural dimensions of the Castle. The grounds are also the venue for the annual Irish Cancer Foundation’s “Relay for Life”, held in June. Renewal of the gardens – both herbaceous and floral sections, is now nearing completion. The project manager for this work is Mr. Pat Ryan of Emerald Forestry Co. Ltd. The recognition of the importance of Ducketts Grove with its unique architectural and horticultural features at International level is a tribute to the courage of the members of Carlow County Council, its agents and employees, for their rescue of this National treasure. Also, Eileen O’Rourke and committee at Carlow Tourism are congratulated on their organisational efforts in promoting this facility. Carlow County Development Partnership is operating the workshops, canteen and exhibition areas. It is now possible for the public to visit the main ruin structure in safety. Madeleine Forrest is congratulated on the quality and welcoming service at the Tea Rooms.
Ducketts Grove Castle
Oak Park Forest Park Oak Park Forest Park, on the outskirts of Carlow Town, remains very popular for quiet walks in a beautiful setting. During 2015, works were carried out on the surface of the paths to protect the timber from the elements. Oakpark Forest Park has won the National Community Woodlands award following a 32-county competition, adjudicated by the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) and The Forestry Service. Emerald Forestry Co. Ltd. continue the required forest renewal works in conjunction with Coillte and the Forestry Service. Carlow Delta Centre and local schools benefit from the universal facilities. The continued collaboration with Teagasc enabled grant aid, sourced by Deputy Deering, renew and revitalise the forest park to National award-winning status.
Oakpark Forest Park
Walking Carlow Local Authorities, in conjunction with Carlow Tourism, Carlow County Development Partnership Ltd. and the Carlow Walks Sub-Committee has assessed the priority walks in the County. Established walkways combine mountain hiking with urban park land. Carlow is linked in to the Wicklow Way and the Slieve Margy Trail in Kilkenny/Laois and to the South Leinster Way i.e. linking South Tipperary/Waterford/Dublin. The Barrow and Slaney Valleys have some of the most attractive and well maintained river walks in Ireland. The longer hiking walks are continuously being developed in conjunction with Tullow Mountaineering Club and Blackstairs Ramblers. Thanks to Borris Tidy Towns Association and to Clare O’Shea of Carlow County Development Partnership, we have completed an important addition to walking facilities at Clashganny.
Tullow Town Park Tullow Town Park operates successfully in providing an amenity to the people of Tullow. Activities have included use of the playground, exercise and training area and ordinary relaxation. At Tullow, the first Skateboard Park is now very popular. Great credit is due to the Members from the Tullow electoral area for their initiative in this proposal – and to the Develop Tullow Association for their great work in maintaining Tullow Town Park. Further proposals will enhance the Park’s ecological diversity.
McGrath Park, Bagenalstown The Trustees of McGrath Park are to be commended for such a marvellous facility used by hurling, football, soccer, pitch & putt, athletics and cricket clubs. Bagenalstown Improvement Group under the leadership of Paddy Gardiner is to be congratulated for their marvellous work throughout Bagenalstown, including the Town Park.
River Barrow Carlow Local Authorities with Carlow Tourism and Carlow County Development Partnership will continue to source funding for the priorities of the Barrow Corridor Study. The benefit from the amenities and the facilities recently constructed by Waterways Ireland at Clashganny were highlighted. The improvement of access and parking facilities are now urgent priorities to be considered at Clashganny. Congratulations to Carlow County Development Partnership and to Borris Tidy Towns for their progress on a new walkway, proximate to the Lock area. Carlow County Council pursued the upgrading of tidal boating facility at St. Mullins in conjunction with Waterways Ireland. The navigation channel of the Barrow has become a matter of serious concern to boaters and fishing interests and those concerned with future flooding due to silting and overgrowth. It is impossible to progress any initiative at the Barrow without some remedial action in this respect, which will need help and understanding from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Serious flooding at St. Mullins highlights the urgency of a solution. The continuous build-up of deposits on the river bed may well limit flood protection measures and negate those already in place.
SEAI Better Energy Communities 2014 Carlow County Council completed energy upgrades on over three hundred houses in 2015. This included upgrading of the heating system, ventilation, windows and doors, lighting and high efficiency stoves. To date over one thousand three hundred houses have received energy upgrades in County Carlow. Remaining Local Authority houses (200 approximately) will be completed by the end of 2016. These works have been very well received by householders – whose energy bills have more than halved and with much greater living quality.
It is disappointing that several communities in the County did not participate in spite of considerable funding being available and a high level of support forthcoming from Carlow County Council. Carlow County Council in conjunction with the Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency has prepared a schedule of projects for possible grant aid in 2016.
1. Bagenalstown Swimming Club Ltd., Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow. 2. O'Brien Cement, Bellvue Port, Co. Waterford. 3. Gairdin Beo, Carlow. 4. Windgap Parish, Kilkenny. 5. Wayside Properties Ltd. (Supervalu), Portlaoise, Co. Laois. 6. Kilkenny County Council 7. Kilkenny College Ltd. 8. Dealgan House Nursing Home Ltd., Dundalk, Co. Louth. 9. Johnswell Development Committee, Co. Kilkenny. 10. Costern Ltd. T/A Trinity Care, Gormanstown, Co. Meath. 11. Lidl Ireland, Newbridge, Co. Kildare. 12. Gathabawn Church, Co. Kilkenny. 13. Kilkenny Cooling Systems – Various locations. 14. Galmoy GAA, Co. Kilkenny. 15. Clontubbrit Church, Co. Kilkenny. 16. Rafpro Ltd. (Ritz), Carlow Town. 17. Frank Murphy Services Ltd., Cloneen, Co. Kilkenny. 18. Lisdowney Church, Co. Kilkenny. 19. Fitzgerald Nurseries, Co. Kilkenny. 20. J. Walsh Hardware Ltd., Co. Carlow. 21. Visual Arts Centre, Carlow Town. 22. Various Houses at Co. Carlow & Co. Kilkenny
Projects have been completed at New Oak Estate, Carlow Library, Civic Offices, Carlow Fire Station, New Oak Community Centre, Visual Centre for Contemporary Arts, Public Lighting at Various Locations, Carrigduff Swimming Pool, and C.Y.M.A. Carrickduff Swimming Pool is to be congratulated for their particular initiatives in identifying recommended improvement works for grant aid.
Emergency Services and Building Control
Introduction. This report sets out a summary of the activities and performance of Carlow County Council’s Fire Authority during 2015.
Hereunder are a summary of the main areas of activity undertaken by the staff within the fire authority during the twelve month period and statistics provided where required. The areas summarised are as follows:
Health & Safety Management
Quality Management
Capital Investments
Operational Activity & Training
Training Centre Activity & Development
Budgets
Rescue Team Activity
Major Emergency Management
Fire Prevention
Building Control Health & Safety Management In December 2015 Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service received Re- accreditation of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSAS 1800:1) award from the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) The system was achieved by implementing nineteen policy and procedure documents each accompanied by a large number of supporting documents and was the result of a year long implementation project. The system enables the Fire service to have greater control and management of vital areas such as Control of Contractors, Training, Maintenance of Fleet & Equipment, Statutory Requirements and First Aid.
Quality Management In July 2015, Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service began the process of implementing the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) across the Fire Service. This implementation, and full accreditation, which is expected to be achieved in June 2016 is building on the implementation of ISO 9001:2008 in the Hacketstown Training and Development Centre.
The ISO 9001:2015 QMS, once implemented, will promote a high standard of quality and improved efficiency across all aspects of the organisation, particularly the activities of Fire Prevention and Building Control.
Internal Audits are planned for April 2016, followed by Stage 1 and Stage 2 Audits by the National Standards Authority of Ireland.
Capital Investments.
Stations The refurbishment and development of Muinebheag Fire Station remains the priority Capital Project for the service. It has been recently announced that capital funding will be made available in 2016 for an upgrade to the station, but the extent or scope still remains a matter between Carlow County Council and the NDFEM but it is hoped that approval to proceed to tender stage will be forthcoming during the early stages of 2016.
As part of the OSHAS 18001 Safety Management Audit it was identified that the electrical wiring in Muinebheag Fire Station was sub- standard, and unable to achieve test certification. It is proposed to completely re-wire the fire station, and to install an Emergency Lighting system, and a Fire Detection and Alarm System. This essential work will now be integrated into the capital programme subject to the extent of funding available.
Vehicles Departmental approval was given in mid-2015 for the purchase of one class B fire appliance. This was part of a joint procurement process involving Tipperary, Wexford, Limerick & Carlow, with Tipperary being the lead authority. The contract was won by Sidean Teo, from Spideal, Co. Galway, and it is hoped that Carlow Fire & Rescue Service will take delivery of this vehicle in mid-June 2016 removing an old 1994 vehicle from the fleet at Tullow.
It is also hoped that the water tanker stationed at Carlow which was lost at a road traffic incident in 2014 will be replaced using a combination of insurance payment and departmental funding.
Operational Activities
Fire Brigade Mobilisations
The level of operational activity throughout the County for 2015 compared with operational activity for 2014 is set out hereunder. It
Number of Incidents Station 2014 2015 Carlow Fire Brigade 241 209 Bagenalstown Fire Brigade 96 120 Tullow Fire Brigade 66 90 Hacketstown Fire Brigade 12 17
Total 415 436
In 2015, the service saw a moderate rise in the number of incidents for Muine Bheag, Tullow and Hacketstown Fire Brigades and a fall in the number of incidents for Carlow Town compared to 2014.
As can be seen from the chart below:
53% of all mobilisations were fire calls in County Carlow, with a further 8% of fire calls in other counties.
Road traffic collisions constituted 21% of Fire Service mobilisaitons
False Alarms – good intent (both equipment failures, and good intent fire calls) constituted 12% of Fire Service mobilisaitons
Other fire calls, including miscellaneous call, malicious calls, and non- fire rescues constituted 6% of Fire Calls, during 2015.
The chart below shows all Fires Calls by type for Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service attendances.
Forest/bog/grass fires comprise 21% of all mobilisations Chimney Fires represents 17% of mobilisations Domestic dwelling fires constitute 16% of mobilisations Vehicle fires constituted 12% of mobilisations
All combined, these 5 fire call types constitute 79% of all Fire Call Mobilisations of Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service.
Social Media and Community Connectivity In September 2015, Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service launched a new Twitter account, and is in the process of launching pages on other social media platforms, including Facebook, and is in the process of redeveloping its web presence. It is anticipated that these platforms will provide the Fire Service with the means and tools necessary to provide information to the public, in relation to incidents, Major Emergencies, Fire Safety, Building Control, Road Safety, and other critical information. The use of these platforms will also coincide with National initiatives being created or developed to further enhance and promote safety and public awareness of the dangers of fire in the home and community.
Training and Development. The training and development of personnel across a wide range of disciplines was undertaken during the year in accordance with the brigade training programme for 2015. The annual training programme is developed each year following consultation at all levels across the service. This consultation ensures that the training provided at a significant cost to the Fire Authority is relevant, and meets the needs of the firefighters, officers, administrative and other technical and support personnel.
The training necessary to comply with the requirements and guidance issued by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management.
In 2015, training was provided to firefighters in the following areas:
Recruit Fire-Fighter Course Breathing Apparatus Compartment Fire Behaviour Fire-Fighter Development First Responder Training Hydraulic Platform Driver Training
On Station Training. Weekly on Station Training in all Stations is undertaken in accordance with the Annual On-Station Training Programmes issued to each Station Officer and under the supervision of a Senior Officer. Attendance at weekly on-station training remains very high in all four brigades which is encouraging and confirms that the firefighters are committed to ensuring that their knowledge and skills are continually refreshed.
Recruitment A total of five fire fighters were recruited in 2015, two in Carlow, two in Tullow and one in Hacketstown. They went through recruitment, breathing apparatus and initial compartment fire behaviour training all on training courses held in the training centre at Hacketstown using in- house and local instructors.
Expenditure 2015
The table below sets out the total expenditure for the Fire Authority for the year 2015
Adopted Job(T) Estimate Balance BUILDING CONTROL INSPECTIONS - STAFF COSTS 57,900.00 11,099.04 57,900.00 11,099.04 BUILDING CONTROL ENFORCEMENT - STAFF COSTS 43,750.00 3,772.09 43,750.00 3,772.09 EMERGENCY PLANNING 45,300.00 10,787.36 ACFO REGIONAL 78,400.00 7,960.05 123,700.00 18,747.41 FIRE SERVICE PROVIDED BY OTHER LOCAL AUTH 15,000.00 2,208.14 FIRE SERVICE HEALTH AND SAFETY 23,350.00 67.17 EAST REGION CONTROL CENTRE 61,000.00 4,784.98 FIRE PROTECTION: INSURANCES 73,000.00 -14,707.54 FIRE STATION CARLOW 663,000.00 13,945.25 FIRE STATION TULLOW 298,800.00 -9,681.26 FIRE STATION BAGENALSTOWN 419,800.00 31,299.73 FIRE STATION HACKETSTOWN 219,800.00 -1,531.32 SICK PAY - RETAINED FIRE SERVICE 0 -66,104.06 1,773,750.00 -39,718.91 FIRE SERVICE TRAINING CARLOW 45,000.00 12,144.68 FIRE SERVICE TRAINING TULLOW 30,000.00 7,187.05 FIRE SERVICE TRAINING BAGENALSTOWN 32,000.00 2,880.34 FIRE SERVICE TRAINING HACKETSTOWN 22,000.00 2,611.43 OPERATION COSTS TRAINING FACILITY HACKETSTOWN 58,900.00 -107,417.51 187,900.00 -82,594.01 FIRE PROTECTION LOAN CHARGES 10,000.00 3 S C E1199 FIRE SERVICE 182,000.00 -5,062.96 192,000.00 -5,059.96 FIRE SAFETY CONTROL CERT COSTS 76,500.00 4,577.22 76,500.00 4,577.22 FIRE PREVENTION AND EDUCATION 20,700.00 10,990.98 20,700.00 10,990.98 INSPECTION & MONITORING OF COMMERCIAL FACILITIES 39,950.00 910.79 39,950.00 910.79 2,516,150.00 -77,275.35 Carlow Technical Rescue Extrication Team Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service has been at the forefront of vehicle extrication and patient care for numerous years, from its involvement in the first National Extrication Challenge back in 1992 through to the establishment of Rescue Organisation Ireland in 2008.
During this time Carlow has competed successfully on the world stage at the following events organised by the World Rescue Organisation.
Capetown, South Africa 2006 Barcelona, Spain 2007 Cardiff, Wales 2008 Frankfurt, Germany 2009 Cork, Ireland 2010 London, England 2012 Clearwater, Florida 2013 Morton on Marsh, England 2014 Lisbon, Portugal 2015
Vehicle extrication and casualty care is becoming increasingly more complex and challenging and there is a growing need to develop new strategies, interventions and partnerships which further assist rescue workers and the people they care for as they face their daily challenges.
The team achieved 2nd Place overall in Road Traffic Collision Challenge in the National Recue Organisation Ireland (ROI) challenge in April 2015, in Cork.
In the lead up to the World Rescue Challenge 2015 hosted in Lisbon, Portugal, Carlow’s Extrication Team undertook an intensive training programme. The programme included scenario based extrication techniques in the drill yard, and was supported by colleagues from the National Ambulance Service, and Carlow Civil Defence.
At the World Rescue Challenge 2015, the team achieved the much coveted 1st Place in the road traffic collision complex scenario, the 2nd best technical team and 3rd best incident commander overall.
This is a tribute to the work and commitment given by each of the team members, their colleagues, who assist them in preparation and training and the team management, all of which is done on a voluntary basis.
Hacketstown Training & Development Centre The training and development centre based at Hacketstown Fire Station continues to provide essential breathing apparatus and compartment fire behaviour training to fire service personnel in County Carlow and also to personnel across the Country. The centre increased its level of activity in 2015, when compared with the use and operation of the centre in 2014.
The training centre management promoted Hacketstown as a training venue by purchasing a stand at the 2015 Chief Fire Officer’s Conference in Tullamore, Co. Offally. The response of the attendees at the conference was positive and resulted in a number of additional bookings. The Training Centre has received and held training courses for Fire Services in Counties Wexford, Laois, Meath, Offaly, Donegal, Waterford, and for the Defence Forces.
During 2014 the training and development centre achieved ISO 9001:2008 accreditation, and was re-accreditation in December 2015 following a successful audit by the National Standards Authority of Ireland.
The Second Phase of Development of the Training Centre should take place in 2016. A Part VIII planning application for the development of lands purchased adjacent to the Fire Station will be brought to the March sitting of the County Council.
The fire and rescue service sees this as a huge opportunity to further enhance and strengthen our links with local industry and with the community. It is planned to undertake a feasibility study to explore the possibility to further developing the provision of training to the public and private sectors and thereby generate income for the service. The Fire & Rescue Service has attained considerable expertise and experience through the development of in-house instructors to operate and deliver high class training at the centre.
Major Emergency Management The service continues to perform the role of designated lead agency for the South East Region and continues its active involvement in the Regional Working Group and Regional Steering Group.
In 2015, the Local Authorities of the South East Region continued to chair both groups, having been successfully chaired between 2012 and 2014 by the Health Service Executive. Mr. Dan McInerney, Acting Chief Executive, Carlow County Council is currently the Chair of the Regional Steering Group and Mr. Niall Curtin, Chief Fire Officer, Waterford County and City Fire Service is currently the chair of the Regional Working Group.
The Local MEM Appraisal has been undertaken for 2015 and is in the process of being completed, signed off and submitted. Carlow County Council has been tasked to run a full scale regional major emergency training exercise in September / October 2016, with planning for this exercise due to commence shortly.
A severe weather related major emergency exercise was held in the South East Region during January 2016 in County Waterford.
The regional MEM training programme was delivered through the work of the training and exercise MEM Sub-Group, which is chaired by Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Michael Gahan.
The fit out of the major emergency equipment pod, and associated prime mover, located at Bagenalstown Fire Station is continuing and will be fit for purpose in the second quarter of 2016. Once it is operational, it will be available to be mobilised across the South East Region and beyond to support of the functions of an on- site co-ordination centre. Fire Prevention, Community Fire Safety & Building Control
Fire Safety Schools Programme The fire safety schools programme again saw local firefighters deliver the National Fire Safety programme to third class children in primary schools across the County with great success. Much very positive feedback has been received from teachers and parents alike.
National Smoke Alarm Programme The National Smoke Alarm programme again saw local firefighters deliver and install smoke alarms to many vulnerable members of our community across the county. Smoke alarms have been given out to many people over the last number of years and this programme will again be implemented in 2016.
Fire Safety Inspections The Fire Authority has carried out 82 inspections under the Fire Services Act 1981 & 2003, including during performance inspections of venues during an event, in a range of building purpose groups such as residential apartments, shops, offices, and assembly and recreation buildings 2015.
In addition, the Fire Authority served one fire safety notice and two closure notices in 2015.
Fire Safety/ Closure Notices
6
5
4
3 Fire Safety Notices
Number Served Number 2 Closure Notices
1
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Year
Intoxicating Liquor Licenses The Fire Authority received and processed sixty eight license applications for various premises throughout the county under the Fire Services Act 1981 & 2003 in 2015.
Dangerous Substances License Applications The Fire Authority received and processed 0 license applications for various premises throughout the county under the Dangerous Substances Act 1972 & 1979, in 2015.
Explosives Registration Applications The Fire Authority received and processed 0 Explosives Registration Notifications for various premises throughout the county under the Explosives Act 1875, during 2015.
Planning The Planning Authority forwarded a total of 301 Planning Application files to the Fire Authority in 2015, which were processed, reports generated, and returned. Planning referrals to the Fire Authority are at their highest level since 2008.
Planning Applications 350 300 301 300 281 250 246 247 250 223 199 200 150
100 Number 50 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Year
Building Control
Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2015 The Building Control (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2015 came into force on the 1st September 2015.
The introduction of the new amendments, which modify the 2014 BCAR included a critical provision for the ‘opt out’ of the requirement for an assigned certifier, in the case of ‘one off’ domestic dwellings – that is single domestic dwellings on single development sites, and domestic dwelling extensions. This ‘opt out’ does not remove or reduce the requirement for compliance with Building Regulations, but it does allow a homeowner, or developer, opt out of having an assigned certifier inspect and oversee construction works
In advance of the commencement of these new regulations, the Building Control Authority noted a substantial drop-off in the number of new dwellings commencing in August, and a substantial increase of commencement notices in September, the majority of which were of the ‘opt out’ type.
Fire Safety Certificates The Building Control Authority received a total of 34 Fire Safety Certificate Applications in 2015, which represents a reduction in the number of Fire Safety Certificates received, when compared with other years. The level of activity noted in 2013 and 2014 was mainly due to the high level of inspections and enforcement being carried out by Building Control Inspectors. Fire Safety Certificate Types
140
120
100
80 Regularisation
60 Revised Number Standard 40
20
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Year
Disability Access Certificates The Building Control Authority received and processed a total of 19 disability access certificate applications in 2015, a decrease of 14 on the 33 Disability Access Certificate applications received in 2014. A recent in-house study has indicated that a significant number of disability access certificate applications may be outstanding, and it is our intention to further investigate and pursue these outstanding applications in 2016 subject to the necessary resources being available.
Total FSC's & DAC's 140 120 100 80 Total… 60 Total…
Number 40 20 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Year
Commencement Notices The Building Control Authority received 108 Commencement Notices in 2015.
Total Commencement Notices
300 283 250
200 175
150 122 Total CN's 117 128 129 100 91 108
50
0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Building Control Inspections A total of 267 building control inspections have been undertaken throughout the County in 2015. Emphasis was placed on the importance of compliance with the Building Regulations and the Building Control Authority was and continues to encourage and advise private businesses and members of the public in relation to same.
In addition to the building control inspections, eighty two fire safety inspections were also carried out during 2015. 300
250
200
150 Total BC Inspections Fire Safety Inspections 100
50
0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES Carlow County Council continued to build on the strong working relationship it enjoys with all communities throughout County Carlow during 2015. With the Council’s assistance the communities are continuing to enhance and develop their areas socially, culturally and environmentally. Projects which were promoted during 2015 included: Community & Environmental/ Amenity Grants, Local Agenda 21, Carlow Pride of Place; IPB Co-Operation Ireland Pride of Place; Taste of Carlow.
In 2015 County Carlow maintained its reputation for being a County proud of its beautifully presented villages and towns, that strive to be litter free and environmentally friendly. This was confirmed in the wonderful results achieved in the National Tidy Towns Competition, the Best Kept Towns Competition and Carlow’s Pride of Place Awards.
Members of Clonegal Tidy Towns, A/Chief Executive Dan McInerney with Minister Alan Kelly who presented Clonegal with Ireland’s Tidiest Village Award
In the 2015 National Tidy Towns Competition Clonegal won the Tidiest Village in Ireland Award for the 2nd year running only 1 point behind the overall winner Letterkenny. Carlow Town, Leighlinbridge and Clonegal maintained their gold medals status which is a huge achievement with all gaining significant points. Leighlinbridge scored extremely well. They were runners up in the Ireland’s Tidiest Small Town at only onepoint behind the winners in their category and two points behind the overall winners. Fenagh won the Endeavour Award with an eight point increase on last year’s results.
All of the twenty one entrants from County Carlow increased their points reflecting the dedication and hard work of the Tidy Towns Groups and their volunteers. The high standard is achieved and maintained by the positive co-operation and partnerships that exists between the communities in County Carlow, Carlow County Council and other agencies. Tidy Towns Groups throughout the county are supported by personnel in the Community Section. This year the Section organised a number of workshops for groups including Protection of Wildlife Habitats & Natural Amenities with IPCC and Tidy Towns Application Form – Practical Tips with members of Kilkenny Tidy Towns and Carlow County Council’s Environmental Awareness Officer.
Tidy Towns representatives from Clonegal, Leighlinbridge and Carlow Town with Minister Ann Phelan, Cathaoirleach Cllr Charlie Murphy, Cllrs John Murphy, Michael Doran, Deputy Pat Deering TD and Chief Executive Kathleen Holohan at the South East Tidy Towns Award Ceremony Nov 2016
Leighlinbridge won the overall title of Ireland’s Best Kept Town. This competition is organized by the Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government and the Northern Ireland Amenity Council. The initiative helps to raise the profile of both the Tidy Towns and Northern Ireland's "Best Kept" competitions, helping to improve the standard of towns and villages across the island of Ireland.
The awards were announced in June at a ceremony in Farmleigh House. Deputy Ann Phelan T.D. Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government presented members of Leighlinbridge Improvement Group with the award.
.
Members of Leighlinbridge Improvement Group with Minister Ann Phelan, Members of Northern Ireland Amenity Trust and Michael Brennan, Carlow County Council
Carlow’s Pride of Place continues to be a great success, in 2015 over one hundred groups from across the county entered, with over one hundred and eighty seven entries in the different categories. There were fourteen school entries, eleven business and fifteen individual nominations, along with the numerous town, village and residential entrants.
This initiative encourages all individuals and communities in the county to enhance the presentation of their town, village or estate; keep their area litter free, preserve local heritage; continue to build community spirit and reflect the pride generated by enhancing the environment in which one lives, which has both a social and an economic spin off. The success of this initiative would not be possible without the commitment and dedication of communities throughout County Carlow and the support of the elected members. The awards were presented by Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council Cllr Charlie Murphy, Mayor of the Municipal District of Carlow Cllr John Cassin and Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Muinebheag Cllr Denis Foley.
Clonegal - Winners of Carlow’s Pride of Place 2015
At the Awards Ceremony which was held on 29th October 2015 in the Lord Bagenal Hotel, Leighlinbridge, Clonegal was announced as the Overall Winner. Carlow County Council presented over sixty prizes to the value of €20,750 to community groups throughout the County. Categories included Estates, Schools, Anti -Litter, Burial Grounds, Heritage and Environment as well as towns and villages. The Business Awards Category was sponsored by the County Carlow Chamber of Commerce.
The Community of Tinryland was nominated to represent County Carlow in the IPB Co-operation Ireland Pride of Place Competition 2015. A Recognition Night to celebrate and acknowledge the work and commitment shown by the Tinryland Community in representing the County in the competition was held in October in the Town Hall.
Tinryland won runner up prize in their category at the annual IPB Co- operation Ireland Pride of Place Awards, which were announced in November at a gala event in Ennis, County Clare.
Tinryland – Co-operation Ireland Pride of Place 2015
Environmental / Amenity Grant Scheme 2015 A total of one hundred and sixty five grants were awarded to Community Groups/Residents Associations (one hundred and forty nine grants) and schools (sixteen grants) throughout the county. Qualifying works included landscaping and development of open- spaces; amenity development on river/stream banks; provision of picnic facilities; painting; provision of litterbins/anti-litter initiatives, improvements in burial grounds and general enhancement of areas. Grant funding of €44,050 was awarded in 2015. Community Grant Scheme 2015 A total of thirty nine grants were given to Community Groups throughout the County under this scheme. The aim of the scheme is to support community and voluntary groups in County Carlow who undertake projects that will: Carry out a service or activity that makes a contribution to the quality of life in their local community. Increase voluntary activity. Target the social excluded and increase their opportunities for participation. Support the valuable contribution of community and voluntary organisations in County Carlow.
Grant funding of €17,000 was awarded in 2015.
Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund Through funding from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, and match funding from Carlow County Council, a total of €17,000 was allocated to eighteen community groups in County Carlow. These groups have undertaken projects that contributed to increasing environmental awareness at local level or which promoted building greener, more sustainable communities.
Taste of Carlow Co-ordination and promotion of a successful Taste of Carlow took place in August at Potato Market Carlow Town. The event was organised in partnership with Carlow Tourism, Carlow Farmers Market and Carlow Chamber of Commerce. Forty five Artisan Craft and food producers participated in the event. Food demonstrations and entertainment was also part of the event. The event was organised with a view to promoting and profiling the indigenous craft and artisan food producers within the county, the event was once again a huge success with capacity crowds in attendance.
Carlow Traveller Interagency Group Carlow Traveller Interagency Group (TIG) monitors the implementation of the actions contained in the Interagency Traveller Strategy through their four Thematic Groups: Accommodation & Relationships (Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee); Education, Community Development & Arts; Employment, Training and Business Opportunities; Health & Lifestyle, which were established to oversee the implementation of the actions. In 2015 members reviewed the Strategy and agreed new actions. Funding was received for Traveller Pride Week and to carry out research on Travellers living in County Carlow.
The Plots Community Garden & Allotment Project This continues to be a very successful working partnership with the communities of St Mary’s Park and Rathnapish, St Catherine’s Community Services Centre and Carlow County Council. A composting area was developed in 2015 through funding from the Local Agenda 21Environmental Partnership Grant. The garden has become home to eight laying hens and the local community are enjoying their free range eggs. It is also a learning opportunity for the children to raise their awareness about hens.
The main objectives of this initiative are to: Provide a space for individuals and groups to grow their own vegetables. Promote healthy eating and healthy lifestyles through growing fresh food and availing of daily exercise. Promote community development, integration and pride through co-operative working with different sections of the community Enhance the local environment. Act as a training facility for people not in employment, education or training by providing a combination of horticultural training with literacy, numeracy, personal development and job preparation modules while supporting participants to address their barriers to progression.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM ACT 2014 In 2012, the policy document “Putting People First “ was published and this set out reforms to improve the delivery of services for the citizen, deliver greater efficiency and effectiveness and give local government a more central role in the oversight and planning of local and community development programming . Arising from these commitments the Local Government Reform Act 2014 was passed into law on 27th January 2014.
As a consequence of this Reform, Local Authorities, in each of their areas, were charged with setting up a Local Community Development Committee in place of the County Development Board and an active citizen participation framework called a Public Participation Network in place of the Community and Voluntary Forum.
Carlow Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) The Guiding Principles of the LCDC are; A developmental “ bottom up” approach A clear focus on social inclusion Promotion of enterprise and employment development Voluntary activity and active citizenship Harnessing of existing community infrastructure Achieving value for money Best use of available resources
Purpose: Primary responsibility for co-ordination , planning and oversight of local development spend Develop, coordinate and implement a coherent and integrated approach to local and community development in County Carlow. It will do this by bringing together local authority members and officials, state agencies and people actively working with local development, community development, and economic, cultural and environmental organisations to implement a joined-up, cross-sectoral approach to local and community development programming. LCDCs will, therefore, draw on the expertise and experience of public and private actors within the Council area to provide effective and efficient services to citizens and communities of County Carlow, in particular those most in need of those services. Meaningful citizen and community engagement Efficient administration of local programmes Pursue opportunities for additional funding resources
Functions of the LCDC are: To prepare, adopt, implement, monitor and review the community elements of a six year Local Economic and Community Plan To consider and adopt a statement of the economic elements of the Local Economic and Community Plan To improve the co-ordination of publicly funded programmes including the Local Community Development Programme Rural Development Programme (LEADER) and Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP) Oversight of local and community development programmes Avoidance of duplication To prepare an annual report on the performance of its functions.
The LCDC comprises of seventeen members both statutory and non- statutory including four elected members. The LCDC is a committee of the Council but independent in the performance of its functions.
Carlow LCDC Members are: Statutory Interests Sector Members Name Organisation Local Michael Doran Members of Carlow County Government Charlie Murphy Council Jennifer Murnane O’Connor William Quinn Kathleen Holohan Chief Executive Kieran Comerford Head of Enterprise State Agencies Noel Barry Department of Social Protection Cynthia Deane Kilkenny/Carlow Education & Training Board Non Statutory Interests Sector Members Name Organisation Local & Thomas Kelly Drumphea Cemetery Committee Community (C&V REP) Development Mary Doyle Hacketstown Community Group (C&V REP) Ann Shortall Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre(Social Inclusion) Andrea Dalton St Catherine’s Community Services Centre(Social Inclusion)
Social Mary Walsh Carlow County Development Economic and Board Partnership Community Eamonn Moore Environmental Pillar Interests John Brophy Carlow Chamber (Business Employer) John Nolan Agricultural / Farming Fr. Caoimhín O’Neill Civic Society
Eight LCDC Meetings were held in 2015 as follows:
14th January 2015 11th February 2015 25th March 2015 14th May 2015 17th June 2015 16th September 2015 23rd October 2015 2nd December 2015
The LCDC had programme oversight and programme management in respect of the following activities: Local Community Development Programme, Monthly Payment Reports Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP) Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) Rural Development Programme (LEADER) The LCDC also adopted/considered the following: LCDC, 2014 Annual Report Amendments to Standing Orders Declaration of Interest –Conflict of Interest Code of Conduct for LCDC Members Guide to EU Funding Framework Policy for Local and Community Development – Public Consultation National Oversight Audit Commission (NOAC) Carlow Public Participation Network Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is the successor programme to the Local Community Development Programme. SICAP is a local social inclusion programme focused on the most marginalised in Irish Society.
SICAP Vision To improve the life chances and opportunities of those who are marginalised in society, living in poverty and unemployment, through community development approaches, targeting supports and interagency collaboration where the values of inclusion are promoted and human rights are respected.
SICAP Aim To reduce poverty, promote social inclusion and equality through local, regional and national engagement and collaboration.
SICAP has three goals: 1. To support and resource disadvantaged communities and marginalised target groups to engage with relevant local and national stakeholders in identifying and addressing social exclusion and equality issues. 2. To support individuals and marginalised target groups experiencing educational disadvantage so they can participate fully, engage with and progress through life-long learning opportunities through the use of community development approaches. 3. To engage with marginalised target groups/individuals and residents of disadvantaged communities who are unemployed but who do not fall within mainstream employment service provision, or who are referred to SICAP, to move them closer to the labour market and improve work readiness, and support them in accessing employment and self-employment and creating social enterprise opportunities. SICAP Target Groups The target groups are: Children and Families from disadvantaged areas; Lone parents; New Communities (including Refugees/Asylum Seekers); People living in disadvantaged communities; People with disabilities; Roma; The unemployed (including those not on the live register); Travellers; Young unemployed people from disadvantaged areas. Procurement Process: A restricted procurement process was carried out by Pobal for the new SICAP programme. The objective of this stage of the process was to identify all potential entities who would be interested and eligible to deliver the new programme. Stage two of the process involved the successful applications from the pre –qualification process being managed by the LCDC and the closing date was 12 noon on 19th December 2014. An Evaluation Team of staff from the local authority and an Evaluation Sub Committee of representatives from the LCDC was established to manage the tender evaluation process. The LCDC at its meeting held on the 11th February 2015 ratified the Preliminary Evaluation Tender Report in favour of Carlow County Development Partnership Ltd who are the implementing Partners for the SICAP programme. Contracts were signed on the 30th March 2015.
SICAP funding of €402,321 was allocated to County Carlow for period 1st April - 31st December 2015. The LCDC is the contracting authority and County Carlow is one Lot for the purposes of this programme. SICAP will run for three years 2015-2017. The LCDC approved the SICAP Annual Plan 2015 and reviewed same during the year. A sub group of the committee comprising of Andrea Dalton and Noel Barry was established including Michael Brennan, Chief Officer and Margaret Moore, Community to examine and review the implementation of the programme. All headline targets in the SICAP Programme were achieved by the Programme Implementer for 2015.
Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP) The purpose of the Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP) for County Carlow, is to identify and implement actions to strengthen and develop the economic and community development dimensions of the local authority area over the six year period 2016-2021 in a manner that both reflects and supports the implementation of the existing Carlow County Development Plan, Joint Spatial Plan for Carlow and the Draft Guidelines and proposed Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs), to be prepared by the Regional Assembly and the new National Planning Framework which will replace the National Spatial Strategy. The LECP may be subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) following the carrying out of screening reports. In preparing the LECP, it was necessary also to consider the proposed Rural Development Strategy for County Carlow 2016 to 2020, the Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and Government’s Action Plan for Jobs.
The Economic elements of the plan were prepared by staff of the Enterprise section of Carlow County Council and approved by the Strategic Policy Committee for Economic Development, Enterprise Support and Planning and the Community elements were prepared by staff of the Community section of the Council and approved by the Local Community Development Committee. An advisory steering group was also established as part of the preparation of the LECP with representatives from the LCDC, Carlow County Council, IT Carlow and Carlow College
As part of the preparation of the Plan, Public Consultations took place during the period March/April 2015 and strategic consultation workshops were held in July/August 2015 during which SWOT analyses were undertaken. Consultations were also held with the elected members, LECP Advisory Steering Group, SPC for Economic Development, Enterprise Support and Planning and the Southern Regional Assembly
The LCDC adopted the community elements of the plan at their meeting held on the 23rd October 2015 and the SPC for Economic Development, Enterprise Support and Planning approved the Economic elements of the plan on the 9th October 2015. The plan went out for public consultation on the 22nd December 2015 with a closing date for comments/observations on 22nd January 2016. The LCDC will considered the draft plan following the public consultation process at its meeting scheduled for the 27th January 2016. It is proposed that Members of Carlow County will adopt the draft integrated Local Economic and Community Plan at its meeting scheduled for 16th February 2016. The role of the Council and Local Community Development Committee when the draft Plan is adopted by the members of Carlow County Council will be to implement, oversee, coordinate, monitor and review the plan with the Advisory Steering Group. An Implementation plan will be prepared in consultation with lead agencies identified in the plan who will sign agreed protocols to prioritise actions during the next two year period of the plan. The plan when adopted will also be subject to examination and report by the National Oversight Audit Commission (NOAC)
Rural Development Programme (LEADER) Carlow was allocated €6,416,803.43m in LEADER funding in 2015. The Local Community Development Committee approved Carlow County Development Partnership CLG as the Lead Implementing Partner in 2014 for the Rural Development Programme. Carlow County Development Partnership CLG prepared an Expression of Interest on behalf of Carlow Local Community Development Committee (Local Action Group) as part of the application process for the LEADER Programme which was approved by the Local Community Development Committee (LAG) on the 14th May 2015. The Expression of Interest was submitted to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on 15th May 2015 and was approved on the 20th August 2015. Members of Carlow Local Community Development approved Draft LEADER, Heads of Agreement at their meeting held on the 17th June 2015. Carlow County Development Partnership CLG commenced the preparation of the Local Development Strategy (A Local Development Strategy is a plan or method for achieving a specific goal or result. The plan is designed using a community led approach facilitating participation by communities and stakeholders taking into consideration of both local need and potential) during September – November 2015 following extensive consultation. The Local Community Development Committee LEADER Sub Committee and members of the Local Community Development Committee considered the draft Local Development Strategy in December and the Local Community Development Committee approved the draft Local Development Strategy at its meeting held on the 2nd December 2015 subject to agreed amendments. The final Local Development Strategy document will be submitted to the Department of the Environment Community and Local Government on or before 16th January 2016 following consideration by members of the Local Community Development Committee and sign off by the Local Community Development Committee LEADER Sub Committee and Chairperson. It is anticipated that applications for LEADER funding will be considered by the Local Community Development Committee (LAG) in the second quarter of 2016.
Training, Learning and Development Training was organised at National Level by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and Pobal for members of the Local Community Development Committee in 2015 in respect of:
Operations of the Local Community Development Committee Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme LEADER Programme
Carlow Public Participation Network Under the County Development Board arrangements, Community & Voluntary Fora were established in 2000 in each city and county local authority with a number of roles which included providing a structure to facilitate community consultation and representation on local authority decision-making structures but this was changed in 2014 when the Local Government Reform Act 2014 was enacted. The Community and Voluntary Fora was replaced by a new participation structure called the Public Participation Network recommended by the Working Group on Citizen Engagement with Local Government which was set up in September 2013 under the chairmanship of Fr. Sean Healy. The role of the Group was to make recommendations on more extensive and diverse input by citizens into the decision making at local government level. The Report of the Working Group was published in February 2014.
Section 46 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 provides the legislative basis which gives effect to the Framework for Public Participation. Public Participation Networks (PPNs) were to be set up in all local authority areas at County level and was established in County Carlow in early October 2014. It will be the main link through which Carlow County Council will connect with community/voluntary, social inclusion and environmental sectors.
The aim of these structures is to facilitate and enable public organisations operating within the wider community to articulate and give voice to a diverse range of views, issues and interests within the local government system.
The role of the PPN is; To identify issues of collective concern and work to influence policy locally; To actively support socially excluded groups; To encourage and enable public participation in local decision making and planning of services; To serve as the nominating structure for community interests (Social Inclusion, Community/Voluntary and Environmental) on Local Government committee structures including the LCDC. The Structure of the PPNs A County Plenary at County level which deals with County level issues. The plenary will bring together all the PPN groups to give feedback, highlight issues and present the results of their work. A Municipal District Plenary in each Municipal District (MD) which deals with issues at a municipal level. Linkage Groups will form to deal with specific issues and support nominees in their role; they will form part of the accountability and feedback mechanism for the community (task groups). A secretariat at County level that acts as a coordinator, facilitation, administration, and communication mechanism for the PPN.
Community groups and organisations register under three different pillars of Community/Voluntary, Social Inclusion and Environmental.
The following are the members of the PPN Secretariat; Municipal District of Carlow Mary Doyle Municipal District of Muinebheag Paddy Gardiner Environmental Eamonn Moore and Alan Price Social Inclusion Joanne Donohoe and Oscar Traynor Community and Voluntary Thomas Kelly and Regina Duane
Secretariat Members – (L to R) Regina Duane, Thomas Kelly, Mary Doyle, Alan Price, Gráinne O Neill (Co-ordinator), Oscar Traynor, Joanne Donohoe and Eamonn Moore. (Paddy Gardiner missing from photo)
There are currently, three hundred and fifty three groups/organisations registered with the Carlow PPN and registration is on-going.
Number of Groups Registered to Carlow PPN
128
Carlow MD Muinebheag MD 225
180 160 140 120 353 Groups 100 Registered 80 60 40 20 0 Community Social Environment & Voluntary Inclusion Carlow MD 179 44 2 Muinebheag MD 119 4 5
Map of Carlow illustrating PPN Members
During 2015 Carlow PPN has: - Convened two County Plenary meetings with another scheduled for mid-2016 alongside Municipal District Meetings Convened Strategic Policy Committee Representative and Linkage Group Member training facilitated by Social Justice Ireland Convened the first meetings of PPN Linkage Groups Elected five representatives on the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) Elected twelve representatives across four Strategic Policy Committees (SPC’s) Secretariat members attended South Leinster Regional PPN Training in Bagenalstown Elected PPN Representatives on the following Boards/Committees: - - Joint Policing Committee x 2 - South East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force x 1 - Carlow Tourism Board x 1 Presented delivered to County Council Staff, Management and Members PPN Roadshow – visited six locations across the County of Carlow to find out what are the concerns/issues of community groups. Feedback from this event was positive - Ballymurphy - Leighlinbridge - Tullow - Carlow - Hacketstown - Kildavin As a result of feedback from the PPN Roadshows it is proposed to plan a suite of Workshops for our members which will start after Easter 2016 and will include: - - Basic book-keeping for groups - Committee skills training - Social media training - Managing and attracting volunteers incl. FAS and TUS workers - Overview of legal requirements - Effective lobbying - Community Financing Development and dissemination of a monthly PPN E-Bulletin Developed a Facebook page Developing an Information Leaflet Developing a PPN Members Handbook to include roles and responsibilities of PPN representatives Developed and prepared a Workplan for 2016 Developing a Website with Interactive page for members of Linkage Groups. Linkage Group members will communicate with their Representative through this software and vice versa in relation to SPC meetings etc. Again, this is in response to feedback from our members.
South Leinster PPN Training in Bagenalstown – Back Row – Seán McLoughlin, Department of Environment, Community & Local Government, Alan Price, Fr. Seán Healy, Social Justice Ireland. Front Row – Gráinne O Neill and Joanne Donohoe
Carlow Children and Young Person’s Services Committee This Inter-agency Committee is responsible for improving the lives of children and families at local and community level through integrated planning, working and service delivery and ensures that professionals and agencies work together so that children and families receive better and more accessible services. 2015 was a busy year for this interagency committee Last February the critical incident subgroup met in response to Athy/Carlow Car Crash Tragedy where 4 young women lost their lives. An interagency critical incident protocol was drawn up in order to ensure support to those in the community that were impacted most. This was then immediately implemented. In August discussions were held with the Department of Children and Young People, Carlow County Council and Kilkenny where an agreement was reached based on two years’ experience of a combined County Committee that did not work, Carlow and Kilkenny will now have their own CYPSC committee and the Co- coordinator Mairead Maddock will work for the two Counties.
Consultation on CYPSC Children and Young Peoples plan with members of Carlow Comhairle na nÓg
The Carlow CYPSC had their first meeting on 9th October as the revitalised single County committee and worked out terms of reference and membership obligations. They also revitalised their efforts to delivering a three year strategy for children and young people in Carlow, an action in the Local Economic and Community Plan. Consultations and a detailed County Carlow Service Providers to Children and Young People audit which included a geo-mapping element took place during the latter part of 2015.
The Carlow/Kilkenny Children Services Committee met with Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, James O’Reilly on his visit to Carlow on April 2015 Carlow Traveller Interagency Group Carlow Traveller Interagency Group (TIG) was established under the CDB Structures in 2006, who continued to monitor the implementation of the actions contained in the Interagency Traveller Strategy through their four Thematic Groups: Accommodation & Relationships (Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee); Education & Traveller Development; Employment, Training and Business Opportunities; Health & Lifestyle, which were established to oversee the implementation of the actions.
The Traveller Policy Division, of the Department of Justice & Equality, has responsibility for supporting and coordination of the ongoing policy development in relation to Travellers in Irish society.
Comhairle na nÓg Comhairlí na nÓg/Youth Councils were established in response to the 10 year National Children Strategy launched in 2001 by the Department of Health and Children and was set up in thirty four City and County Development Boards around the Country. Under the auspices of these City/County Development Boards, Comhairle na nÓg is the responsibility of the local authority in each area. In County Carlow, Comhairle na nÓg is managed by Carlow Regional Youth Services in conjunction with the Community Section of Carlow County Council. It is a forum for structured input into decision making by children and young people in the development of local services and policies that impact on young people’s lives.
Comhairle na nÓg received funding from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs of €20,000 for their 2015 plan, which focused on the promotion of positive mental health. The activities that they undertook to deliver this plan included a school tour promoting happy living, a mental health survey, running the “Happy Café” during the Éigse Festival in June and holding a “Happiness” Street Festival during the Mensa Festival in October. In their Happiness Roadshow they visited six schools in Carlow, Bagenalstown and Hacketstown, meeting with fourteen hundred students. Students were asked to complete a survey on their understanding of mental wellbeing and about what supports they knew were available to young people. The outcome of the Roadshow is that the young people have been given more information on mental wellbeing and on how to support each other when they need it. On 15th December the Comhairle presented their year’s work to the Members of Carlow County Council and on 16th December in the Vault, Burrin Street, Carlow, they launched their Annual 2015 Report outlining these achievements.
Carlow Comhairle na nÓg members on their schools roadshow promoting positive mental health in Spring 2015
Carlow Age Friendly County The Carlow Age Friendly Subgroup continued to support the delivery of actions of the County Age Friendly Strategy, and to drive the implementation of the Carlow Town Plan actions and some highlights are as follows;
The Carlow Older Persons Forum was successfully launched in the Askea Parish Centre on Thursday 21st May. This Forum will be the representative voice of the older people in County Carlow Carlow Age Friendly Business subgroup met for the first time on 10th June and planned and delivered the launch of the Carlow Age Friendly Business Recognition Programme on Thursday 25th June where information workshops were organised on how to become an age friendly business and a total of seventeen businesses participated in the programme. Each business received an Age Friendly Business Recognition Charter and a Sticker which advises customers that they are Age Friendly. Eleven age friendly spaces in Carlow town were launched on 9th November by Cllr Charlie Murphy, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council along with guest speakers Paul Maher, Chairperson of the Older Peoples Forum, Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive of Carlow County Council and Mary White, Chairperson of the County Carlow Age Friendly Committee.
Age Friendly Parking spaces Launch on 9th November 2015
Carlow Volunteer Centre Carlow Volunteer Centre had a very busy year, surpassing many of its main targets, that were set and engaged in a range of activities that have effectively promoted and supported volunteering across the County of Carlow, activities such as the vital placement service, Volunteer Management Training, Garda Vetting, working with community and local development groups. Due to consistent significant cuts in budget over the last number of years, Carlow Volunteer Centre remained in accommodation provided by Carlow County Council. Personnel in the Community Department continued to support the Volunteer Centre.
To give a flavour of their core work which is the Placement Service, their work with the Volunteer includes the following; Information on volunteering options Support and advice for those with extra support needs Placement & brokerage Recognition and appreciation events Text-message alerts Media profiles/Awareness raising Social media Schools Transition Year Volunteering 3rd Level Outreach Volunteering I.T Carlow Volunteering Award Corporate volunteering team days Presentations on specific volunteering themes – i.e. environmental, disability, unemployment
Their work with the Voluntary Organisations includes the following; Advertising volunteer vacancies Advice and support Documentation templates – e.g. volunteer policies, role descriptions etc. Consultancy on specific issues Volunteer Management Training Garda Vetting access Seminars on relevant topics Recruitment events - Volunteer Expo, Carlow IT Volunteering Fair “Once-off/Event Volunteers” list Regular email updates Access to national volunteer recognition
HERITAGE WEEK
Heritage Week 2015 ran from Saturday 22nd to Sunday 30th of August inclusive and the Museum on behalf of Carlow County Council coordinated the countywide publicity on the various events for Heritage Week. Heritage Week at a national level is organised by the Heritage Council.
The publicity included the publication of a brochure containing a list of the various events taking place throughout the county. Electronic versions of the brochure were also posted onto the Carlow Local Authorities and Carlow Tourism websites as well as being circulated through social media outlets. Advertisements were placed in each of the local newspapers. Irishtv.ie attended a number of the events and broadcast them on their Carlow County Matters programmes.
As in previous years, the Museum in partnership with the Kilkenny Heritage Office organised a joint radio campaign on KCLR 96FM. Similar to previous years a number of packages were pre-recorded by KCLR and broadcast in advance of a particular event to encourage more people to attend. Events chosen in Carlow were ‘Lucinda Sly – A Woman Hanged’ with the Museum and staff of Carlow Shopping Centre; ‘Eastwood House and the Moneybeg Demesne’ by Myles Kavanagh in Bagenalstown and a ‘Guided Walk of St. Moling's Pilgrim's Way, St Mullins’ with Bridie Lawlor. Live interviews throughout the week were arranged with Seamus Murphy of Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society (CHAS); Mary White, Blackstairs Ecotrails and Brigid Fox of Myshall Munitir na Tire. On Wednesday August 26th KCLR 96FM broadcast their morning show hosted by John Masterson live from the Museum.
KCLR 96FM broadcasting live from the Museum
On the Monday and Thursday the Museum on behalf of Carlow County Council organised two public lectures. On Monday August 24th Dr. Linda Doran presented a lecture on ‘Medieval settlement hierarchy in Carlow and the ‘Carlow Corridor’ 1200-1550’. This was hosted in St Mary’s Church of Ireland Church, Carlow Town.
Carlow County Museum staff and volunteers leading the ‘Junior Diggers’ event as part of the Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society’s successful ‘Carlow - A Journey to the Past’ on Saturday 22nd August in the Town Park.
On Thursday 27th August Carlow native and archivist with the Military Archives Noelle Grothier presented a lecture on ‘Carlow during the Revolutionary Period (1913 -1922): Sources for Research’ in the chamber of Carlow County Council.
Noelle Grothier, Military Archives and Cllr. Fintan Phelan, Chairman of the Carlow Ireland 2016 Committee.
LOCAL SPORTS PARTNERSHIP
LOCAL SPORTS PARTNERSHIP MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The Local Sports Partnership (LSP) is funded primarily through Sport Ireland and operates as a sub-committee of Carlow County Council. The LSP management committee meets approximately every six to eight weeks. The remit of the management committee is to oversee the implementation of the yearly operational plan and support and guide the Local Sports Partnership staff. The committee has expanded during 2015. The table below lists the current members who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge in physical activity, sports development, volunteer training and social inclusion.
Name Agency Name Agency Tom Geoghegan Sports Declan Doyle Sports Chairperson Community Rep Community Rep Carmel Lynch Sports Garry Coady Sports Vice Chairperson Community Rep Community Rep Julie Doyle Sports Michael Carlow County Community Rep Brennan Council John Hayden Sports Regina Duane Carlow Volunteer Community Rep Centre Olive Fanning Health Promotion, Kathryn Wall Carlow Regional HSE Youth Services
Donal McNally IT Carlow Karl Duffy County Carlow Development Partnership Ronan Dempsey Sports Community Rep
PURPOSE OF THE LOCAL SPORTS PARTNERSHIP The aim of the Local Sports Partnership is to increase participation in sport and physical activity regardless of age, ability or background through: Providing a central information point for sports development; Developing capacity of sports leaders through quality training; Collaborating with national governing bodies of sport, organisations, private facilities, schools, sports clubs and community groups to develop programmes to address barriers to participation. Promoting the benefits of sport and the positive impact sport can have on obesity, social inclusion and mental health.
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS 2015 Funding Work - A total of €160,646 was secured by the Local Sports Partnership for sports development in County Carlow;
Disability Programme –€24,000 was secured to deliver a programme of actions to address the needs of people with a disability in sport with participation opportunities provided for approximately three hundred and fifty people;
One hundred and twenty nine local sports leaders, volunteers and coaches took part in twenty one Local Sport Partnership training courses with forty nine local clubs represented;
Sixteen local schools took part in Local Sports Partnership programmes to increase participation of young people;
Club Development Work – Seventy two local sports clubs were assisted with development issues;
Women in Sport Programmes – one hundred and sixty three women took part in Local Sports Partnership Sports Activity Programmes;
Approximately five thousand eight hundred people took part in Local Sports Partnership community based programmes targeting youth and families, e.g. Get Outdoors, Operation Transformation, Teddy Bear Picnic, Play Day, Recreation Week, etc;
Fit Over Fifty – one hundred and twenty seven people took part in our Older Adults Sports Hub activities at St. Laurence O’Toole’s AC & in Tullow
The Local sports Partnership participated in fourteen local committees, networks and forums to promote participation in sport and the message of the Local Sports Partnership;
Information Provision – Over one thousand two hundred individuals were supported with information provision during 2015.
Objective 1: Increasing Levels of Participation
PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Programme Outline: The objective of this programme is to increase participation by people with a disability in sport and active recreation in partnership with all relevant stakeholders. A detailed programme of activities was prepared based on the needs and barriers facing the target group. The Local Sports Partnership (LSP) worked closely with local stakeholders to monitor and evaluate the programme and detailed progress reports were presented to the Local Sports Partnership Committee at regular intervals. The project is funded by the HSE & Sport Ireland, managed by Local Sports Partnership Coordinator and delivered through a contract for services by the Programme Coordinator Joanne Wall. The Sports Inclusion Disability (SID) Programme Coordinator possesses a specific skill-set and has years of experience in the development of adapted physical activity programmes across a range of disabilities and all of the complexities that that entails.
Project Scope: According to the CSO 2011 there are 7,482 people with a disability in the County. The total population is 54,162. This represents 14% of the local population. The information below demonstrates the range of individuals, organizations and groups that we worked with in 2015. This is based on work delivered in previous years and further information can be provided if necessary. The Local Sports Partnership implemented a two pronged approach in order to: 1. Facilitate involvement of individuals/disability organizations; and 2. Support/upskill clubs, coaches and volunteers to adapt and include people with a disability. Age range: 4 years – 60 years approx. Pan-disability: Physical, learning & sensory. Organisations/Services Involved: Some of the groups involved include: IWA; Regional Youth Services; St. Dympna’s Hospital Occupational Therapy; HSE Mental Health Unit; BEAM Services; Rehabcare; Cairdeas Centre; Skillsbase NLN: Delta Centre; Carlow Autism Group; Special Olympics; Carlow Down Syndrome Group; NCBI; Visual Impairment Group; etc. Integration The project addresses the imbalance of opportunities for people with physical, learning and sensory disabilities to participate in sport and physical activity in County Carlow. Projects are based on needs identified by people with a disability, carers, parents and organizations. The table below provides a summary of the disability actions and participant numbers:
ACTION PARTICIPATION DISABILITY TYPE STAKEHOLDER NUMBERS COLLABORATION 1. Wheelchair 14 11 Physical disability IWA Basketball 3 siblings, friends & family Presentation Secondary members School Local Basketball Clubs 2. St Dympnas 11 11 Mental ill health HSE Mental Health Group 3. Easter 44 18 Intellectual disability CRYS Activity 2 Physical disability Camp (20 with a disability) 4. IT Sports 64 64 Intellectual disability IT CARLOW Programme 5. Sports Hall 120 120 Intellectual disability athletics mild/moderate 6. Inclusive 22 12 disability-Intellectual Naas School of Cycling Cycling 10 siblings and friends Programme 7. Health & 17 11 young people had a CRYS Wellbeing disability Social 3 with a physical disability Group 8 with an intellectual disability 6 young people were friends or siblings 8. Horse 23 22Intellectual CRYS Riding disability/Emotional Disability 1 physical disability 9. FAI Pan 17 1 visual impairment FAI Disability 16 intellectual disability Volunteer Centre Programme 10. Athletics 12 3 Intellectual disability Laois Local Sports 9 physical disability Partnership
11. Swimming 6 6 intellectual disability Holy Angels Day Care Lessons TOTAL 350 People
The Carlow team playing Cork in the final Junior Wheelchair Basketball blitz day in IWA Headquarters Clontarf.
All the players who took part on the final day of the Junior Wheelchair Basketball Blitz Day in IWA Clontarf.
OLDER ADULTS County Carlow Local Sports Partnership ‘Fit Over 50 Programme’ 2015 in association with Age Friendly Carlow.
Carlow Go for Life Games Team 2015
Rationale: Sport Ireland identified older adults as a key target group to promote physical activity due to low participation levels. Physical activity has a positive effect on general well-being, physical and mental health. In relation to older people physical activity can be used as a powerful tool to combat loneliness, for social inclusion, to encourage engagement in the local community and can increase the potential for independent living. During 2015 County Carlow Local Sports Partnership (LSP) took a new approach to targeting older adults to promote integration to the existing sports infrastructure and increase the sustainability of actions. The Local Sports Partnership Committee developed the concept of creating a physical activity hub at a strategic location with necessary local amenities so as to attract the target group. It was also decided to rebrand the activities from ‘Older Adult Programmes’ to ‘Fit Over 50 Programmes’. The Local Sports Partnership Committee also focused developing actions under the national Age & Opportunity ‘Go for Life’ umbrella.
Description: Due to its strategic location and the amenities available within the facility and in the surrounding area the LSP decided to use St. Laurence O’Toole’s AC (SLOT) as the site for the ‘Fit over 50’ Activity Hub. The activities organised were based on information gathered through focus group sessions. The Local Sports Partnership also used SLOT as the base for the Go for Life actions. Although we are targeting the older population, the activities are open to all to promote integration. The activities organised were also activities that would be available in the local community on completion of the Local Sports Partnership programme. The Local Sports Partnership also organised some activities in Tullow to provide an outreach to people residing in rural areas. Partnership: One of the key objectives of the programme was to facilitate and develop links between local sports clubs, national governing bodies of sport, local organisations and national organisations that promote sport for older adults in order to promote sustainability and ongoing participation. Promotion: The programme was promoted through key older adult agencies and voluntary groups, email distribution, print media and social media.
OUTPUT 1. Activity Hub The activity hub was established in association with St. Laurence O’Toole’s in Carlow and the Captain Murphy Memorial Hall in Tullow. The programme was based on the needs of the target group. The following is a summary of activities and numbers: Zumba Gold Carlow – 2 x 6 week courses with 85 participants in total Zumba Gold Tullow – 1 x 6 week course with 15 participants Yoga Carlow – 1 x 6 week course with 14 participants
2. Go for Life Games The overall aim of Go for Life is to get older people more active, more often. The aim of the Go for Life Games is to involve older people in recreational sport. The games are run with the support of Local Sports Partnerships and the HSE. The Games involve the National Games (held on one day annually), Leagues and Friendly games. These games involve three sports - see below.
Sports played in the Go for Life Games The Go for Life Games adapted by Go for Life involve three sports that can be played in Singles, Pairs and Teams. The Games are: Lobbers- adaption of ‘Petanque’ and ‘Boules’; ‘Flisk’ (an adaption of Frisbee and Horseshoe Pitching) and ‘Scidil (an adaption of Ten-Pin Bowling and Skittles). The 2015 Go for Life Games took place on Saturday June 6th in DCU. This year over three hundred older people from 24 different counties will come together to participate in a day of sport and inter- county friendly rivalry! Each county sent a team of players along with their family, friends and supporters. The games played on the day include: ‘Flisk’, ‘Scidil’ and ‘Lobbers’.
During 2015 Carlow Local Sports Partnership facilitated the following actions under the Go for Life umbrella:
Six training sessions organised from the 5th May 2015 Twenty eight adults attended the training sessions Thirteen people attended National Games on the 6th June in DCU
3. National Grant Scheme for Older Adults The Go for Life Small Grant Scheme from Age & Opportunity and the Sport Ireland were announced on 8 December 2015. The Small Grant Scheme is a joint initiative between Age & Opportunity’s Go for Life programme and Sport Ireland. Grants are available to all eligible local clubs, groups and organisations that promote increased participation in recreational sport or physical activity for older people as a main element of their activities. The National Grant Scheme aims to assist in the implementation of locally-developed, well-planned initiatives designed to increase participation in recreational sport and physical activity by older people. In particular, the scheme is aimed at: supporting the work of Go for Life including the network of PALs (Physical Activity Leaders) and the development of Go for Life Games and other initiatives; assisting local clubs/organisations to enhance existing opportunities for their members in recreational sport and physical activity; and assisting local clubs/organisations to start new initiatives geared at involving older people in recreational sport and physical activity. Carlow LSP distributed the funding information to local groups, clubs and organisations and supported a number of groups with their application. Carlow LSP also follows up with groups that have been allocated funds to assist them with organising activities for their groups.
2015 Grants Awarded to Carlow Organisation Amount County Askea ICA 250.00 Carlow Ballinkillen ARA 250.00 Carlow Ballyconnell ICA 260.00 Carlow Ballyloughan ICA 260.00 Carlow Bennekerry & District ARA Group 280.00 Carlow Bennekerry ICA 250.00 Carlow Carlow County Development Partnership Limited 280.00 Carlow Carlow Rowing Club 260.00 Carlow Carlow Town and District ARA 270.00 Carlow Fit 4 Life - St. Laurence O'Toole's A.C. 250.00 Carlow Forward Steps Resource Centre 260.00 Carlow Friendship Group Leighlin Bridge 270.00 Carlow Garryhill ICA 270.00 Carlow Go Lair Womens Group 250.00 Carlow Irish Wheelchair Association, Carlow 280.00 Carlow Ladies Friendly Society (Ballyconnell) 260.00 Carlow Leighlinbridge ARA 270.00 Carlow Leighlinbridge ICA 250.00 Carlow Myshall ICA 250.00 Carlow RehabCare, Carlow 280.00 Carlow St. Mullins GAA Club 260.00 Carlow Tullow ARA 270.00 Carlow Tullow Day Care Centre 280.00 Carlow Total 6,060.00
Outcomes: In terms of the impact of the 2015 Fit over 50 programme the Local Sports Partnership can point to the following outcomes: Wider range of opportunities for older adults to engage in physical activity; Increased activity levels of the participants in the programme; Promotion of increased partner working between local agencies, clubs and community groups; and Groups facilitated with information in relation to funding opportunities for physical activity.
GET IRELAND WALKING The Irish Trails Office through the Get Ireland Walking programme, has made funding available to promote walking for health. The application was prepared and was submitted by the Local Sports Partnership Coordinator on the 18th December. The Active Community Walking Programme aims to support the creation of vibrant walking communities throughout Ireland. The programme will work with communities to increase the capacity and potential of people with low levels of physical activity to become more active through walking. The programme will address individual and social barriers, that people face concerning being active within their local area.
RTE OPERATION TRANSFORMATION 2015 Sport Ireland is teamed up with the RTE Operation Transformation Programme in January 2015 to promote physical activity for all. Each Local Sports Partnership across the national network, organised a community walk, which took place on in January at Rathwood Home & Garden Centre. There was approximately two hundred participants. The walk was 5km in length.
WOMEN IN SPORT During 2015, in partnership with County Carlow Women’s Network, the LSP delivered the following: four swimming programmes, three in Tullow and one on Carlow totalling forty eight participants; two cardio tennis programmes in Carlow Tennis Club with twenty two participants; one Myshall Womens Kettlebells Fitness with eight participants. In addition to the above the LSP worked with Adrenaline Fitness on the ‘Buggy Buddies Programme’ with twenty five participants and Presentation School Carlow on the Girls Active programme with 60 participants. A total of one hundred and sixty three women and girls took part in Local Sports Partnership Women in Sport Programmes during 2015.
FAMILY ‘GET OUTDOORS’ GEOCACHE TREASURE HUNT EVENTS Organised and delivered two family outdoors event in partnership with the Delta Centre Carlow and Carlow Tourism. Approximately 250 people attended the event which took place on the 31st October and had a Halloween theme. The Delta Centre are keen to repeat next year. In excess of 2,000 people attended the family event organised in partnership with Carlow Tourism at Ducketts Grove on the August bank holiday weekend.
BIKE WEEK 2015 The 2015 Bike Week took place between the 14th and 21st June and in Carlow sixteen schools and groups organised events throughout the county. All of these events were arranged to encourage children, adults and families to get their bikes out and to enjoy the ability of cycling and scenery in County Carlow. The Bike Week programme was coordinated by the County Carlow Local Sports Partnership in conjunction with Carlow County Council. Approximately one thousand people took part in County Carlow Bike Week in total. The events were supported through the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport ‘Bike Week’ funding. Carlow Local Sports Partnership in conjunction with Carlow County Council organised a family fun cycle and bike festival on the 14th June in I.T. Carlow. The 8 km road cycle was enjoyed by all of the seventy who took part and when they arrived back in the I.T. Many tried out the obstacle courses and cycling safety training.
Ballinkillen Camogie Club participating in Bike Week 2015
Drumphea NS participating in Bike Week 2015
Newtown Dunleckney NS participating in Bike Week 2015
Objective 2: More Sustainable Infrastructure School Support Local Sports Partnership staff put together information packs for primary schools. Correspondence was sent out to all schools with a list of training and programmes that they can avail of to encourage their pupils to be more active. There was a strong focus on inclusion and recreational/non-competitive activities. Supported three primary schools in the delivery of Active School Week.
National Governing Body & Club Support Programme Strategic planning with representatives from Confederation of Golf participation programmes for Carlow community groups and schools in 2015. Mount Wolseley Hotel hosted a PGA Challenge Golf Tournament from the 8th – 11th of October. The Federation of Golf in Ireland offered places to people from County Carlow a chance to get golf lessons from a PGA professional. The Sports Partnership organised St. Columbus N.S., Tullow Boys N.S., The Cairdeas Centre and the Tullow Scouts to attend, subsidising 50% of bus cost for the schools.
The Local Sports Partnership supported the set-up and development of Tinnahinch Harriers AC and supported the establishment of a Youth Darts Club in Tullow.
The Local Sports Partnership Coordinator met with a representative from the Carlow Golf Club Committee to discuss club development issues including funding support for facility development and programmes to increase membership. In particular there was some discussion on the development of pathways for youth and female participation. The club was also provided with detailed information in relation to the Local Sports Partnership primary school golf programme which was delivered in two schools. A number of meetings took place with two separate sub-groups of the golf club to: (1) Support the club with the application process of the Sports Capital Grant Scheme and (2) Develop participation programmes for youth and women.
DTTS SPORTS CAPITAL GRANT SCHEME Carlow was allocated €757,507 by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport under the Sports Capital Grant Scheme. The Local Sports Partnership secured €3,000 under the name of Carlow County Council and actively assisted seven of the groups listed below in their applications:
Ardattin Athletic Club €14,000 Ballinkillen Lorum Community Centre Club €4,500 Carlow County Council €3,000 Carlow Lawn Tennis Club €65,000 Carlow Rowing Club €110,000 Carlow Sports & Social Club €40,000 Carlow Town Hurling Club €48,000 Clonmore GFC €135,000 Dolmen Karate €3,000 Fighting Cocks GFC €45,607 Mount Leinster Rangers GAA Club €61,000 Murphy Memorial Hall Committee €8,000 Myshall Drumphea Senior Citizens €1,900 Old Leighlin Community Support Ltd. €20,000 St Mullins GAA Club €24,000 Tinryland GFC €7,000 Tullow Amateur Boxing Club €2,500 Tullow Community School €100,000 Tullow RFC €65,000
Objective 3: Greater Access to Training & Education Safeguarding 1 Child Welfare in Sport Awareness Course The Local Sports Partnership organised two Safeguarding Children courses during October and November 2015
12th October 2015 twenty participants 19th November 2015 thirteen participants
Safeguarding 2 Club Childrens Officer Course This course is a follow on from the awareness course above, however only one person from each club is required to attend the training.
23rd November 2015 sixteen participants
Sports First Aid The sports first aid courses are not funded by Sport Ireland so therefore when the course is not full the Local Sports Partnership makes up the shortfall. 19th & 20th October 2015 thirteen participants 18th & 25th November 2015 eight participants
The total number of participants on LSP courses in 2015 was 129. These coaches and sports leaders represent 49 local clubs
COMMUNITY COACHING COURSE WITH IT CARLOW The Local Sports Partnership secured funding through Sport Ireland and the Dormant Accounts Fund, to develop a Community Coaching Course. The target population is job seekers. The Local Sports Partnership is working in partnership with IT Carlow in the design, management, and delivery of this FETAC Level 5 course. Following an interview and short-listing process seventeen applicants were allocated places on this fourteen week course. The Dormant Accounts Funding covers cost for twelve applicants, with the Institute of Technology contributing through benefit-in-kind for the additional five places. The course will commence in 2016. Please see below for a list of components the participants will complete: Child Protection Course Walking Leader Training Active Leadership Training Sports Hall Athletics Training GAA Foundation Coaching Course Kickstart 1 Soccer Course IRFU Foundation Coaching Course
YOUTH SPORTS LEADERSHIP TRAINING: The Local Sports Partnership secured funding from Sport Ireland and the Dormant Accounts Funds to organise and deliver four x Sports Leadership training courses for young people. The Local Sports Partnership also nominated Joanne Wall to be trained to deliver the programme. The Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership provides the ideal starting point for learners aged thirteen years and over who wish to develop their leadership skills, whilst under the direct supervision of their Tutor/Assessor or other suitably qualified adult. The syllabus is designed to develop generic leadership skills that can be applied to a variety of sports and/or recreational situations as well as contributing to the personal development of the learner. The Local Sports Partnership is planning the delivery of four youth leadership training courses, to take place in the 1st & 2nd quarter 2016 and working through the administration requirements from the coordinating body engaged by Sport Ireland – Sports Leaders UK. A total of €6,000 was secured by Carlow Local Sports Partnership for this programme.
Objective 4: Local Sports Partnership as an Information Hub
Outputs for all aspects of Providing Information and Resources are summarised in the Table below.
Producing and Disseminating Resources 2015 Number of physical booklets or information leaflets 20 produced Number of directories produced/ updated 3 Number of people/clubs/groups on email list 750 Number of press releases issued 10 Number of annual reports disseminated 1 Number of presentations delivered 24 Total 808
Use of Media (including Social Media) 2015 Number of articles in local press/radio 10 Facebook: Number of posts/updates 300
Facebook: Number of Followers 1,000 Twitter: Number of tweets 3 Twitter: Number of Followers 25 Twitter: Number Following 40 Total 1,378
SPORTS AMBASSADOR BURSARY FOR ELITE ATHLETES The Carlow Ambassador Award is a joint initiative between Carlow County Council & County Carlow Local Sports Partnership to provide recognition and support to emerging local talent. The bursary itself is worth €1,500, however, this is a special award and it is not just about supporting the athlete financially. The recipient will act as an ambassador for sport in Carlow, promoting active lifestyles and providing inspiration to all through their own achievements. This is the second year of the award. Marcus Lawler was the recipient last year. The Carlow Ambassador Award focuses on a very exclusive group of people-high achieving, elite athletes. We are fortunate in Carlow to have a number of young people representing their chosen sport on the international stage. All of the applications received were assessed carefully by a sub-committee of the County Council and these applicants represented a broad range of sports including: athletics, gaelic football, soccer, and karate to name but a few The applications came from all corners of the County. A formal presentation was made to the 2015 recipient Marcus Lawler in the Council Chamber.
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FUNDING Core funding from Sport Ireland EURO 95,396 Programme and other funding from Sport Ireland EURO 11,772 Local Authority EURO 1,500 HSE EURO 8,500 Dormant Accounts Funding EURO 22,000 Tusla EURO 0 Pobal EURO 0 Education and Training Boards EURO 0 Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport EURO 8,000 Department of Children and Youth Affairs EURO 10,350 Area Based Partnerships EURO 0 Community Employment Scheme EURO 0 Leader/ Local Development Company EURO 4,000 Income Generated from Courses, Programmes, EURO 8,428 Events Other EURO 0 Total €169,946
Funding Notes HSE funding through Grant Aid Agreement to support the Carlow Sports Inclusion Disability Programme; Dormant Accounts funding is the total amount allocated for the Community Coaching Programme and the Youth Sports Leader Programme, not the amount received to date; Carlow County Council allocated €1,500 to the Elite Athlete Bursary; Department of Children & Youth Affairs funding breaks down as €8,000 secured through the Youth Capital grant scheme and €2,350 secured through the Play Day and Recreation Week grant schemes;
The €4,000 from the Local Development Company was secured through a proposal made by the Local Sports Partnership in relation to the Carlow Sports Inclusion Programme; The Department Transport Tourism & Sport funding breaks down as €5,000 secured through Bike Week grant and €3,000 secured through the Sports Capital Grant Scheme.
Carlow County Museum and Carlow Ireland 2016 Programme
Introduction: Carlow County Museum is housed in the former Presentation Convent on College Street, just off Tullow Street, the main street of Carlow Town. The building is in a prime town centre location and is part of a complex that also houses the Tourist Office, the County Library. The Museum gives a snapshot of the wonderful history and heritage of the county.
Carlow County Museum has four exhibition galleries; three of the galleries house the permanent exhibitions while the fourth gallery is used for temporary exhibitions. The Museum has free admission and is open all year round and had just over eighteen thousand visitors in 2015. The Museum is entered through the Tourist Office which is operated by Carlow Tourism on behalf of Fáilte Ireland.
Museum Board: Carlow County Museum first opened to the public on afternoon of Sunday 2nd December in 1973 on College Street. The Museum was founded and operated by the ‘Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society’ (CHAS), then called the ‘Old Carlow Society’. They operated the Museum for nearly thirty years until 2002 when Carlow Town Council took over the operations of the Museum and working in partnership with CHAS it undertook the re-development of the Museum.
In 2005 to maintain and develop the partnership the Board of Carlow County Museum was established. The Board consists of seven members, three Members of Carlow County Council, three representatives of the Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society (CHAS) and a County Manager’s nominee. The Curator of Carlow County Museum acts as Secretary to the Board.
The Chairperson is chosen from the three Members of the Town Council and the three CHAS representatives. As agreed the position of Chairperson alternates on an annual basis between the Members of the Town Council and the CHAS representatives. The present members of the Board are: Cllr. Anne Ahern, Chairperson; Cllr. Fergal Browne, Cllr. Walter Lacey, Mr. Gary Hughes, Mr. Martin Nevin, Mrs Noreen Whelan and Eoin Lyng.
Glór na nGael National Recognition Award: Carlow County Museum won a national Recognition Award from Glór na nGael. All the museum information panels are bilingual. Irish versions of all its brochures and publications are available. The Museum hosted a session of ‘Comrahá 2014’ and holds the weekly 'Is Leor Beirt', Irish conversation circle. The exhibition ‘Scéal na Gaeilge 1899 – 2014’, the story of the Irish language in Carlow since 1899, impressed the adjudicators as being a positive contribution to the use of the Irish language.
The award was presented at a special event in Barberstown Castle in April 2015. Councillor Denis Foley, Leas-Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Councillor Walter Lacey, representing the Museum Board, Dermot Mulligan, John McDarby and a delegation from Glór Cheatharlach were in attendance.
At the Glór na nGael awards in Barberstown Castle were (L to R) Cllr. Walter Lacey, Cllr. Denis Foley, Leas-Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Pat Carey, Cathaoirleach of Glór na nGael & Dermot Mulligan, Museum Curator.
Museum Standards Programme of Ireland (MSPI): Over the past decade the Heritage Council’s developed and is implementing the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI). This important initiative, with participants from a wide range of Irish collecting institutions, sets out to raise standards of collection care across Irish museums and galleries. This programme, the first of its kind in the Republic of Ireland, sets out to improve all aspects of Ireland’s museum practice. National institutions, county/city museums, community run museums, private museums and voluntary museums are all encouraged to join and participate.
There are thirty-four agreed minimum standards for the programme. Participants normally have up to five years to achieve all the standards. Carlow County Museum is part of the MSPI Programme and is the first and only museum in the county to be part of the scheme. The Museum will apply for Accreditation in September 2017.
Local Authority Museums’ Network (LAMN): On Wednesday 25th November last Heather Humphreys Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, launched the new Local Authority Museums Network Strategy 2016 – 2019 ‘Preserving the Past – Shaping the Future’. The Local Authority Museums Network (LAMN) represents the twelve Local Authority Museums across Ireland.
Minister Humphreys said “Local authorities throughout Ireland play a vital and proactive role in promoting and preserving culture and heritage, ensuring the best possible quality of life for their communities. Through their Museum services they strengthen local communities by underpinning a sense of identity and pride of place. In this way, these museums contribute to the development of sustainable economic activity in local areas.
Minister Heather Humphreys (centre) launching the new Local Authority Museums Network (LAMN) strategy on O’Connell Street, Dublin with many of the twelve Local Authority Museum Curators.
The LAMN comprises Carlow County Museum; Cavan County Museum; Clare Museum, Cork Public Museum, County Museum, Dundalk; Donegal County Museum; Galway City Museum; Kerry County Museum; Limerick Museum; Monaghan County Museum; Tipperary County Museum and Waterford Museum of Treasures.
Conservation Agreement: The Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society have agreed to make available to Carlow County Museum an annual subvention – not exceeding €1,000.00 in any one year – towards the cost of restoration, conservation and display of an artefact or artefacts in the Museum’s collection.
While it is the decision of the Museum as to which artefacts are to be treated, CHAS expresses a wish that artefacts contained in their collection be included for treatment, together with any artefacts that the Museum has acquired since with financial assistance from Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society.
The first item chosen is a 19th century illuminated address presented to Anna Parnell by the Killeshin and Graigue branch of the Irish National League which was purchased by the Society and the Museum at auction in recent years. The illustration has been conserved and it presently being framed and will be displayed during 2016. Anna was the sister of Charles Steward Parnell.
Irish Museum’s Association (IMA) Conference: Dermot Mulligan, Museum Curator presented a paper at the Irish Museums Association’s Annual Conference 2015 – ‘Museums in Society: Navigating Public Policy’ in the Ulster Museum in Belfast in late February. The paper explored the development of Carlow Town’s ‘Cultural Quarter’ with particular reference to the development of the new Museum premises and how the development of Carlow Town Council ‘Carlow 800’ plan facilitated this. The conference is the main event of the IMA and was attended by in excess of one hundred delegates from right across the island’s museum and heritage sector.
Irish Conference of Medievalists: The 29th Irish Conference of Medievalists (ICM) took place from Wednesday 1st to Friday July 3rd last in the Newman Building, Belfield Campus, University College Dublin (UCD). The ICM showcases the latest research in both Irish and international medieval studies. Carlow County Museum sponsored a ‘Medieval Carlow’ session with Dr. Linda Doran (UCD) speaking on the ‘Vikings in the Carlow Corridor’; Cóilín Ó Drisceoil (Kilkenny Archaeology/ Maynooth University) spoke on ‘William and Isabella Marshal in Ireland’ (built Carlow Castle) and Dr. Margaret Murphy (Carlow College) spoke on ‘Medieval Carlow: origins, growth and decline’. The session was chaired by Dermot Mulligan.
Lucinda Sly – walking tour & plaque: Last March was the 180th anniversary of the execution of Lucinda Sly and John Dempsey at Carlow Gaol for the murder of Walter Sly. Lucinda was the last woman publically hanged at the Gaol. There is considerable interest in the story as many of the areas associated with the story are still in use and also the popularisation of their story through Maidhc Dainín Ó’ Sé’s book ‘Lucinda Sly’ in Irish and the translated version ‘Lucinda Sly, A Woman Hanged’ by Gabriel Fitzmaurice. The Museum has undertaken a number of bi lingual walks around the town over the past number of years usually stating in the Museum under the gallows trapdoor from which they were both hanged. On Saturday 14th March last the Museum with Féile na Gaeilge with the kind assistance of Carlow Shopping Centre and the Carlow Farmers Market organised a walking tour of Carlow Town led by Gabriel Fitzmaurice and Dermot Mulligan. The tour was also joined by members of the John McKenna play ‘Lucinda Sly’ play which debuted later that month.
On the steps to the Governor’s House in Carlow Shopping Centre on Monday March 30th at 2.30pm at the exact 180th anniversary of the hangings Cllr. Fergal Browne, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council unveiled a plaque to their memory. A short prayer service was conducted by Rev. Olivia Williams and Mons. Brendan Byrne followed by a minute silence. The plaque is erected inside the shopping centres front entrance which was formerly the Gaol entrance.
Unveiling the plaque to Lucinda Sly & John Dempsey in Carlow Shopping Centre were (L to R) Mons. Brendan Byrne, Rev. Olivia Williams, Cllr. Fergal Browne, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council and John McDarby.
Bell for St Columbanus: This year is the 1400th Anniversary of the death of St Columbanus who was born in the shadow of Mount Leinster, probably in the Myshall area. He is buried in Bobbio, Italy. He was a major European missionary and founded a number of important monasteries in France & Italy. A bell cast in Italy to mark the anniversary was in Ireland and was carried along the ‘Turas Columbanus - The Columban Way’. The Museum worked in co-operation the Myshall St Columbanus Committee to arrange for the bell to visit a number of locations in Carlow town on Friday March 20th. The bell visited Carlow College, IT Carlow and Carlow Cathedral as well as the Museum. The bell spent a number of days in the south of the county and in particular in Myshall & Drumphea.
In Carlow County Museum with the Bell for St Columbanus (L to R) Dermot Mulligan, Cllr. Walter Lacey, Cllr. Fergal Browne, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council and Bridget Fox, Secretary of the Myshall St Columbanus Committee.
'Is Leor Beirt' & 'Comhrá15': The Museum has been hosting ‘Is Leor Beirt’, the weekly cupán tae and chat as Gaeilge on Wednesday mornings organised by Glór Cheatharlach. The idea is for people to drop in and over a cup of tea talk in Irish. Numbers vary but on average ten plus people attend and it is noticeable the variety of people from the town and surrounding areas that are interested in conversational Irish.
‘Comhra 15 taking place in Carlow County Museum
The Museum was the host venue for 'Comhrá15' on Wednesday October 6th last. The aim of the annual Comhra is to keep an Irish language conversation ongoing around the world for 170 hours continuously. Glór Cheatharlach coordinated the Carlow hour and was broadcast live across the Seachtain na Gaeilge Youtube channel from the Museum.
An Post Rás: The Museum’s biggest outdoor event this year was held on Sunday May 17th last when the county was host to the An Post Rás 2015, Ireland’s International bike race. Stage 1 of the eight day race was from Dunboyne, Co. Meath to Barrack Street in Carlow town. The cyclists, professional, semi-professional and amateurs travelled 154.4 km to the finish line on Barrack Street, Carlow town via Hacketstown, Clonegal and Ballon. The stage finish and departure were coordinated by Carlow County Museum. The Museum had previously coordinated a similar stage finish and start during the 2013 race as part of the Museum’s 40th anniversary exhibition on Mike O’Donaghue who won the race in 1973.
After passing through Hacketstown, Clonegal and Ballon the race undertook a circuit of the town from Walls Forge Roundabout to the finish line on Barrack Street (Carpenters Pub/ Rattlebag Café). The stage was won by Italian Francesco Reda of Team Idea Conad with Austrian Lukas Postlberger of Tirol Cycling Team in second place. As this was Stage 1 of the race Francesco Reda won not only the stage but was also the race leader (yellow jersey). After the full eight days, Lukas Postlberger who was second in Carlow won the overall race. The finish into Carlow was considered one of the most devastating first stages of the race since the 1990s with over an hour between the first and last cyclist. It was noticeable the large and supportive crowds that came out to welcome the race throughout the county.
A view of the large crowds that turned out along Barrack Street for the Stage 1 Finish
Teams travelled from France, Britain, Austria, USA, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and Belgium. In total up wards to five hundred people were involved in the race including the cyclists, team mentors, race officials, marshals and the Gardai. They all over nighted in Carlow town and the county and was worth in the region of €40 – 50,000 to the area. The race was preceded by a charity cycle ‘Race the Rás’. On the stage end podium Cllr. Fergal Browne, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council welcomed the race to the county.
On Monday May 18th Stage 2 departed from the Post Office on Burrin Street in the town at 11.00am. The cyclists had gathered at the Town Hall car park and were paraded to the start line by the Presentation School Band. The race then passed along Burrin Street, out the Kilkenny Road (R448) and exited the county at Paulstown en route to the stage finish in Tipperary town. The Rás committee is staffed entirely by volunteers from around Ireland. Carlow County Council supported this initiative. The Museum received assistance from Carlow County Council staff, Civil Defence, Carlow Gardai, Carlow Sports Partnership and a large number of volunteers, business and organisations along the race route as well as the businesses on Barrack Street and Tullow Street. Ms Cora Brennan of Global Cycles, Barrack Street was the Carlow ‘Miss An Post Rás’.
Italian Francesco Reda of Team Idea Conad winning Stage 1 of the An Post Rás 2015 on Barrack Street with Austrian Lukas Postlberger of Tirol Cycling Team in second place.
As part of the race Carlow County Council’s Road Safety Art Competition 2015 was organised by the Council’s Road Safety Officer in conjunction with Carlow County Museum, Carlow Sports Partnership and An Post Rás. The theme was about safe cycling and for the art work to contain a historical aspect of the county. Students in all primary schools in the county were invited to participate. Eleven schools submitted entries. The top five winners were presented with An Post Rás cycling jersey on the stage end podium as part of the stage finish on Sunday May 17th. The rest of the awards were presented on Saturday 20th June last at a special ceremony in the Museum.
Eddie Dawson, from Ballon and the Assistant Race Director of the An Post Rás, presented specially commissioned plaques to special award winners: Reuben McCarthy, Tullow Boys’ N.S.; Sarah Murphy, Ballinkillen NS; Niamh Raftery, Ballinabranna NS and Jay Condron, St. Joseph’s NS, Carlow. Cllr Anne Ahern, Chairperson of the Museum Board, presented plaques to: Best 1st Class, Clare Ní Éilí, Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc; Best 2nd Class, Molly Dempsey, Holy Family Girls’ NS; Best 3rd Class, Ben Clancy, Bishop Foley NS, and Best 4th Class, Bríd Doyle, Scoil Moling, Glynn. Mr. Dan McInerney, Acting Chief Executive, presented plaques to Best 5th Class, Katie Moore, Bennekerry NS; Best 6th Class, Pádraig Thompson, Tinryland NS, Second Prize Overall Emma Kinsella, Rang 6, Clonegal NS and First Prize Juliet Ní Dhuiginn, Rang 6, Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc. Vouchers for Art supplies were won by St. Joseph’s National School and Bishop Foley National School.
Dan McInerney, Acting Chief Executive, Cllr Anne Ahern, Chairperson of the Museum Board, Dermot Mulligan, Museum Curator and Eddie Dawson, Assistant Director of the An Post Rás with the prize winners of the Carlow County Council’s Road Safety Art Competition 2015.
BBC Radio Ulster: BBC Radio Ulster have been recording a variety of stories relating to World War 1 and in particular to life in Ireland at the time and connections to the war. Stories include the harvesting of sphagnum moss for use in surgical dressings when cotton was in short supply; the story behind the song ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ and an internment camp in Oldcastle in Co. Meath. One such story is about the Carlow’s ‘Governey’s Boot Factory’ which during that period made boots for the army. The factory had been started in 1903 by Michael Governey, owner of Corcoran’s Mineral Waters.
Elizabeth Rice from BBC Radio Ulster travelled to Carlow County Museum where in front of our Boot Factory display she recorded Dan Carbery and Paul Maguire, County Carlow Military Museum talking about the factory. Dan as well as being a Museum Volunteer and former Chairperson of the Museum Board is a descendant of Michael Governey while both of Paul’s parents worked in the factory. Follow the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p036nb8w
Dan Carbery being interviewed by Elizabeth Rice, BBC Radio Ulster
NRA Monograph Book Launch: On Thursday 23rd July the Museum hosted the book launch by the National Roads Authority (NRA) of ‘A Journey Along the Carlow Corridor - the archaeology of the M9 Carlow Bypass’. This is part of the NRA road scheme monographs and is number sixteen in the series. The book was launched by Dr. Maurice Manning, Chancellor of the National University of Ireland. Speeches were held in Carlow College Information and Training Centre, Tullow Street followed by a reception in Carlow County Museum and an opportunity for people to view the ‘Journeys in Time – the Archaeology of the Carlow By- pass’ exhibition.
The Carlow Corridor describes the results of archaeological investigations undertaken in 2006 at 57 sites discovered in advance of the construction of the M9 Carlow Bypass. The scheme encircles the eastern side of Carlow town. The excavations afforded the opportunity to track changes in the local environment and landscape over the millennia, from the dense woodland of the Mesolithic era to the modern-day intensive agricultural landscape. Indirect evidence of Carlow’s earliest settlers in the Mesolithic era was recovered through the finding of stone tool sites, supplementing results of previous surveys along the Barrow river valley.
The discovery of the earliest houses yet identified within the county attest to the presence of settled farming folk in the area during the Neolithic. A booming economy in the Bronze Age is manifest through the domestic, ritual and industrial sites of an extensive and complex cultural landscape. The route avoided upstanding medieval sites; however, archaeology relating to the hinterland of such sites affords intriguing insights into the rural life in the county during the medieval and post-medieval periods. The book is lavishly illustrated and provides the reader with a description in summary form of all the excavated sites. Major findings have been selected, with essays compiled and presented in chronological order, to highlight the principal results. The full complement of radiocarbon dates for the project is incorporated.
Members of the Board of Carlow County Museum with Dr Maurice Manning (centre) and Noel Dunne, Archaeologist NRA (left)
Carlow Volunteer Centre ‘Be Involved’ Transition Year Programme: For the third year the Museum is partaking in the ‘Be Involved’ Transition Year Programme with St. Leo’s College. The programme is coordinated by the Carlow Volunteer Centre. On one afternoon per week during the school year students volunteer in a variety of locations throughout the town. Students get a practical look at how the Museum works and undertake research into an object from the collection. Students gain valuable work experience which may help shape their future career and allow them to boost their CV’s.
Carlow Ireland 2016 Programme
Carlow Ireland 2016 Programme The ‘Ireland 2016’ project has been established at a national level and is being coordinated through the Department of Arts, Culture & the Gaeltacht. The 2016 Commemoration Programme (national & local) will remember and honour those who took part in the 1916 Rising, will reflect on the legacy of that period and will look towards the future. All local authorities have been asked to develop a programme of events for their area and to appoint a steering committee and a coordinator. In January a fourteen person committee of Members of Carlow County Council under the Chairperson of Cllr. Fintan Phelan was established and Dermot Mulligan, Museum Curator was appointed as the Carlow Ireland 2016 Coordinator.
During the course of 2015 the Carlow Ireland 2016 Committee developed a 2016 Programme for the county under the following headings (a) Remembering (the event) , (b) Reflecting (on the last 100 years) (c) Re - imagining (looking to the future). As part of the process of drafting the programme the Committee during February and March 2015 sought submissions from the public with suitable ideas and suggestions. In June, based on this the Committee hosted a public information session for the county in the Lord Bagenal Hotel, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow. The Committee outlined its findings and draft projects that it will undertake through Carlow County Council and its institutions – Carlow Arts Office, Carlow County Museum and Carlow Library Service. At that meeting the Committee launched the “Carlow 2016 Grants Scheme” for Community Led Projects. This scheme is to assist groups, organisations or individuals around the county to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising in their area. They had the opportunity to apply for up to €2,500 towards the costing of holding an event/ commemoration during 2016. In total thirty eight grant applications were received with twenty nine being offered a grant. The grant scheme will allow groups, organisations or individuals around the county to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising in their area based on five intersecting themes drawing inspiration from the ideals of 1916 and events of that time: Remember - imaginatively recalling our shared history of the island of Ireland; Reconcile - honouring all who have built peace and brought people together; Imagine - releasing the creativity of our people in particular our young people as we anticipate a better future for all; Present - creatively showing our achievements to the world; Celebrate – using our wealth of artistic talent to celebrate and be inspired by the 1916 Proclamation ideals. These community participation events allow for real citizen engagement with Ireland 2016.
In early September the agreed ‘Carlow Ireland 2016 Programme’ was forwarded to the Ireland 2016 office in Dublin for publication. On the 8th October all thirty one local authority 2016 plans were launched in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny; Tánaiste Joan Burton; Minister Heather Humphries, Minister for the Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht and Minister Alan Kelly, Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government. As a result of the public consultations, information evening, grant programme and projects being undertaken by different departments within the Council the county will host over sixty events to commemorate the 1916 Rising. These commemorations will individually and collectively mark a key moment in the foundation of this State. 2016 is a time to reflect on the events of Easter 1916, the last one hundred years and to look to the future.
Front cover of the Carlow Ireland 2016 programme
A table of the grants approved by the Carlow Ireland 2016 Committee:
Grants offers Organisation/ Application Summary approved Name by Committee Re-enactment of the 1916 county football final, with players and supporters in period costume. St Patrick Tullow and Tinryland were the teams in that final had a shared link with events in Dublin. An exhibition of GAA memorabilia, invitation to clubs and schools Carlow GAA throughout the county to participate in a pre-match parade, depicting the best of past €2,000 achievements and local people, Walt Disney, Michael Flatley. Encourage everyone to bring musical instruments. Thomas Traynor Commemoration and Exhibition; Flame of Liberty, Olympic style torch will be run/walked around Tullow Parish by young and old and return to the memorial and newly commissioned flame of liberty bowl, octagonal shape with panels commemorating the seven signatories and Thomas Traynor. Exhibition: Looking at back drop of world Tullow 2016 events from 1910 to 1920, the Proclamation Signatories, wording of Proclamation and the Committee €2,000 contribution of Thomas Traynor. Will consist of interaction by pupils of Transition year at Tullow Community School who will be curators of exhibition and will play the roles of Traynor and other 1916 characters. Tullowphelim Historical Society will mount an exhibition of life and events of Traynor as part of the exhibition. 1916 Dublin Street Replica; using Dublin St as a hub, to recreate what the business and commercial life of Carlow town may have been like in 1916. A listing of premises in 1916 has been sourced and this will be mirrored as far as possible. Small printing works, hand operated machines to demonstrate. A shop selling loose animal feeds, workshops, garage Carlow Tourism showroom of vintage cars, typical grocery shop, Carlow nationalist to open offices and €1,750 display pages from 1916, exhibition of Carlow GAA matches, Traditional butchers, pawnbroker, tailor. Period costume for participating shops, guided tours of Dublin St in co-operation with CHAS. Stolen Childhood- Dream of a new tomorrow- Commission sacred composer Liam Lawton, who resides in Carlow to write a Requiem, to be performed by Aspiro community ASPIRO choir. Honour all those who died in particular untold stories of adults and children of €1,750 revolution (including ones from Joe Duffy’s collection) Fr Albert Bibby Remembrance; Transition year students will perform a historically Bagenalstown accurate re-enactment of Fr Bibby’s involvement in the activities of 1916. Parade leading
Improvement the community to the birthplace of Fr Bibby (Regent St.) where a plaque will be unveiled. €1,500 Group Audio visual presentation of the noteworthy events in 1916 will be delivered with an evening of traditional song and story. Recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Exhibition giving a comprehensive overview of Easter Rising. Textual information and
Delany Archive images treating topics such as background to rising, planning the Rising, activities at GPO, 1,000 public reactions, consequences, Carlow links Carlow Federation Wall hanging 6x3ft depicting the 7 signatories and the iconic building associated with the Irish 1916 Rising. Incorporating quilting, embroidery and various stitching. Will involve input Countrywomen's €1,000 from members of the twelve guilds of Carlow Federation. Informative and lasting legacy. Association ICA Magnamh' -Reflection, Commemoration Garden of the events of 1916, a central hazel tree Ballon surrounded by seven roughly-carved granite standing stones. Hazel tree shows timeless
improvement importance of knowledge, standing stones symbolise our ancient heritage and the seven €1,000 Group leaders of 1916, the rough edges show the painful nature of all conflicts. Stones will be engraves with selected words from the Proclamation. An underage football blitz in May 2016 and have issued an invitation to the Geraldine O’Hanrahan’s club in New Ross (the birth place of Michael O’Hanrahan) to be the main O'Hanrahan's participants, commemorative medals, challenge match, Presentation of O’Hanrahan’s cup GFC €1,000 to Museum, This cup was presented to our club on the 50th anniversary of the Rising by Michael O’Hanrahan’s sister Maire, unveiling of commemorative stone. Video telling some of the history of Cumann na bhFear Oibrithe Ceatharlach in 1916, and Workman's Cub the War of Independence which led to the Irish free state. Remember and celebrate among Carlow/ Cumann others Michael O'Hanrahan, his brother, Tom Little and all founder members of our club. Na bhFear Oibrith €1,000 The Club since its founding continues to be non-sectarian and non-political. The event will Ceatharlach bury the persistent that Michael O'Hanrahan 'walked out of the club'
Carlow Garden of Remembrance 2016: a new garden in the sensory gardens, including a
Delta Centre flag pole for tri colours and an original limestone carving (made on site) with the €1,000 proclamation 1916 and seven mature trees to represent the seven signatories.
The Margaret Memorial service in Leighlinbridge where Margaret was born, including a talk and plaque Kehoe unveiling in her memory. Reception to follow and wreath laying service on her grave and (Leighlinbridge) €1,000 a tree planted. Memorial Group Bridget (Brede) Connolly from Friarstown was a dispatch officer for Cumann na mBan Grange 1916 and was only Carlow liaison in GPO in 1916, clean and refurbish her grave in Grange, committee place a remembrance plaque and have a ceremony, also a Lecture to take place and local €750 school project possibly an essay. Following in footsteps of 1966 commemoration, involve children from three schools in parish, with open invitation. They will be joined by veterans from 1966 commemoration in a march into village led by band, children carrying banner and flags. Pause outside the
S.M.A.R.T Ltd. graveyard for the rising of the tricolour on the Norman Motte. Proceeding then to €750 commemoration monument in graveyard, reading of Proclamation and talk by historian. Plaque unveiled and all will retire to marquee for refreshments, exhibition of photos, trad music and dance. Photographic display 1916 Captain E Shackleton & 2016 Captain William O'Rourke and significant members. Remembering and celebrating the dead relatives of current members and patrons, exhibition of new photos in comparison. Recreate the Carlow Golf Club and Carlow Golf Club Leinster G.U.I 1916 an organised Red cross charity fundraiser to provide entertainment for €500 wounded soldiers. Musical entertainment reflecting on 1915/20s music, dress code and food. Project Revolution; led by CCYT in partnership with Arts Office, Music Generation and VISUAL. Multi-disciplinary performance in direct response to the theme of 1916, County Carlow allowing young people 14-19 to explore the Rising and its legacy on their lives. Funding is Youth Theatre €500 to support workshop element, 7 weekly with students selected from each school participating. Promote Easter Rising and raising awareness about it, Polish students have little knowledge about history of Ireland. Special lessons using slideshows, music and video. Equal Chances Older students to write compositions, younger prepare drawings and paintings. Compare Polish School Eater Rising to Polish uprisings of the 19th century, polish threads in events of 1916. €500 Historical book and souvenirs for students. Organise a tour to Dublin to visit associated places, tour will be reported in school newspaper. Nurse Margaret 1st Martyr of 1916: Carlow's Fallen Angel: Short play to dramatise the circumstances of Keogh the death of Nurse Keogh- written by Eleanor Cummins (grandniece of Margaret) Eleanor Commemoration 500 is a playwright with productions in New York, Prague, London and Ireland. Group Family Matters' Cultural perspectives from 1916-2016: A project that will garner students, aged 16-21, enthusiasm while fostering a sense of imagination and enable a cultural expression of 'Irish Identity' both past and present. Plan to utilise an art based medium in Carlow form of two short plays written produced and directed by students. Plays will focus on Youthreach €500 social history of Carlow in 1916 and 2016; examine issues ordinary people were/are dealing with at the time.eg, 1916, WW1, Technology, Recession. Plays and discussions will be recorded. Street Theatre around the events of 1916; focus on key figures from Carlow town and County who participated, Key figures of interest are Michael O'Hanrahan, Kevin Barry,
Janice de Bróithe Margaret Kehoe and Fr Bibby. Through a series of scenes, depicting the stories of these €500 individuals, along with a chorus of performers, the audience will be brought back in time to Carlow in 1916. Mural- record achievement of the Gael-Bhratach, the promotion of Irish history and Scoil Mhuire Gan culture. Highlight multiculturalism in Carlow 2016 and future, school has pupils from 38 Smál €500 countries. Visual reminder for years to come. Involve students in creation. Commissioned artwork in entrance of new building of school by Derry Dillon, Wooden sculpture frieze carved to describe a timeline of not only Easter Rising but various St Joseph’s NS landmark events in Irelands past 100 years, second strand highlighting history and €500 development of school, oldest in Carlow Planting 7 trees in memory of the signatories, names of each on old slate of each tree. Planting a tree to commemorate the contribution of local Carlow people in Rising, plaque at tree base. Design and construct water feature incorporating the planting of lilies, based
An Gairdín Beo on theme of Reconciliation and Peace. Designing and unveiling a plaque. Dramatic €500 reading of the Proclamation. Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme will do an artistic display, Workshop on biodiversity of the site, composition of music for unveiling. Celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and the history of Fenagh 1916-2016: Period costume, unveiling of plaque, residents of village from 1911 census, unveiling of recommissioned Fenagh pump replacing decorative pump with working pump like one used in 1916, Tree planting Improvement in each of 5 estates to mark centenary, traditional food served on the day, traditional €500 Group music, games typical of 1916 for children, Flag display representing countries of all residents. Create a permanent memorial to Father Daniel Murphy in his native place, publish a short Clonegal/Kildavin biographical booklet, small piece of theatre based on imagined conversations between Fr Veteran Players Murphy and others in the aftermath of the events, evening of hospitality arranged around €500 Group the unveiling of the memorial. Lecture on James Connor, killed by rebels on Easter Monday. An interdenominational
Shay Kinsella event with reps from all major churches. Unveiling of a small plaque on wall of cemetery €500 to commemorate Connor (grave is unmarked) Laying of wreath and information leaflet. Number of individual projects commencing with ceremony on March 17th when the proclamation would be read, national anthem sung, flag raised and traditional meal of Myshall/Drumphea stew. Hold Irish lessons for adults, set dancing lessons, sponsoring a primary school
Social History competition in Art, writing and ancestry projects. Have found three families living in €500 Group parish with direct links to 1916- Murphy Family, Nuala Doyle & Weafer family, hope to explore for other links and honour appropriately. Research study of what life was like in parish of Myshall in 1916 and document. Invite the u14 team from Eoghan Rua GAA Club, Derry to come to Fenagh to play a Fenagh Juvenile tournament against Fenagh team and a number of local clubs. One day event, same pitch GAA Club after another. Refreshments and entertainment. Unique opportunity for cross boarder €500 cooperation and integration. Exhibition match using 1916 rules and kit. Tinryland Tidy Purchase of seven tree and flower planters for the village area, representing seven Towns signatories, community involvement and dedication of planters to €500
TOTAL €25,000
Carlow County Library Service
Introduction:
Carlow County Council Library Service operates four branch libraries in the communities of Carlow Town, Borris, Tullow and Muinebheag. Opening hours for 2015 remained at 124 per week which include late nights and Saturday openings. The branch libraries are supported by the administrative functions of library headquarters from where the local studies and genealogy service also operates. The Local Studies service is open to the public for 35 hours per week. A dedicated Genealogist is available by appointment two days a week on a Monday and a Tuesday since February 2015. This is a partnership agreement with the Irish Family
History Foundation. Carlow Library Service provides a vital place where people of all ages gather to freely pursue knowledge, information and enjoyment of life. Carlow County Library Service experienced a record year on many levels in 2015. Libraries in Carlow provide a popular and heavily used service for everyone allowing unbiased and Our Year: unparalleled access to knowledge, information, creativity and culture.
The Library Collection: The Library Collection currently stands at over 170,000 items. Annual regular investment ensures the collection is current and relevant to user needs. 199,412 items were issued in 2015 and this reflects how well the collection is used. Investment in specialised collections are of great benefit to many people and allow the service to target certain segments of the population and encourage increased library usage. Special collections piloted in 2015 were the Business and Employment support collection and further investment in and promotion of the Mind Matters collection which caters for health and wellbeing.
LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP Adult Unwaged 10% 18% Student Block/Teachers 9% 1% Older People 9%
Teen 8% Child 45% Events and Programming:
Regular Events throughout the year included: The Mixed Bag Book Club - A book club with a difference, the Mixed Bag Book Club bases reading choices on categories as opposed to individual titles. The Popcorn Movie Club in Muinebheag and Borris libraries. Carlow County Library Service in partnership with Carlow County Arts Office provided a series of creative writing workshops for beginners facilitated by Eimear Cheasty. Young writers were involved in a Screenwriting for Beginners course over six months facilitated by Pauric Brennan in partnership with Carlow Regional Youth Services. The Teen Council was established during the year with the aim of improving library services, stock and resources to young people based on what they both want and need.
Participation in National and Local Events included: Aontas Adult Learners Festival in February which included the Six Book Challenge launch and celebration night as well as a de-stress workshop. Participated in the World War 1 Memorabilia Day in Carlow College in March. World Poetry Day in March and launch of the Poetry Tree in Muinebheag Library. By the Light of Four Moons, a new poetry collection from author John MacKenna was launched on the evening of March 21st. A day of free workshops based on eliminating waste or repurposing
it were held in Tullow Library as part of National Spring Clean month in April. Carlow Library Service lead the Bealtaine Festival: celebrating creativity in older age as part of the Older Person’s Network in May. A month long series of workshops, talks and events were held in all Carlow libraries including genealogy, storytelling, exhibitions, dancing and sports. The Summer Reading Buzz ran during July and August and was open to all young readers between the ages of 6-12 years. Carlow Libraries participated in National Heritage Week in August hosting a Carlow Made Craft exhibition, Carlow Storytellers performance and historical and genealogy workshops. A joint initiative with the Latvian Embassy to celebrate their presidency of EU. This exhibition was hosted by Carlow Central library and reflected culture and sport in Latvia. The 5th year of Carlow Library’s Penfest for new and emerging writers was held over a weekend in September. The festival was launched by Hennessy Award winning local poet and teacher, Simon Lewis on a night which showcased up-and-coming local adult and teen talent from two separate writing groups, Carlow Library Writing Group and Voices from the Vault. The weekend featured full day creative writing and memoir writing workshops for beginner adults and young people and ended with a panel discussion, So You Think You Want to Write featuring Doire Press and authors Paul O’Reilly and John MacKenna. The library service were very much part of the county wide programme for Mensana with 22 free events and a suite of workshops for young people aged 10-16 years. Over 630 people attended the library events with 100 new members joining. The Burrin Painters’ 30th anniversary Show entitled ‘The Burrin Painters Revisited’ took place in the Shaw Room, Carlow Central Library in the last week of November. A series of events took place in the lead up to Christmas in all Carlow libraries including Carols in Tullow library, a Christmas Card competition and craft workshops in Muinebheag and Borris libraries and a Christmas Story House evening in Carlow Library among many others.
Partnerships and Collaboration: Carlow Library Service has worked collaboratively with a range of local and national organizations which allows the library to promote itself as a valuable community space actively engaging with the community. In 2015 we continued this collaborative approach to service delivery to ensure the library is viewed as a social and versatile space for everyone.
Library Link mobile service as part of CCDP’s care and repair service. Creative writing Workshop programme for beginners in partnership with Carlow Arts Service Ageing with confidence programme in Carlow Library Six Book Challenge literacy project in partnership with Beam, Cairdeas and the Delta Centre National media coverage of the Rantin’ and Bantin’ – The Bealtaine Rap on TV3 AM. Maths literacy trail in partnership with Carlow Educate Together and Carlow Vocational School in conjunction with Carlow ETB Library Ireland Week in partnership with Library, IT Carlow. Carlow Jobs Club Six Book Challenge Presentation of certificates to participants of the BEAM who participated using Bagenalstown Library. Benefit 4 computer classes The Library Link service in partnership with CCDP Care and Repair Service. Information stand @ Bizfest to promote the business, employment and enterprise services provided by the library.
ICT Developments: ICT and online services are an integral part of library services. We regard the website www.carlowlibraries.ie as another service point which can be accessed outside our opening hours and figures show that this facility is increasing in popularity and provides much potential for further development and investment. WIFI access is on the increase with WIFI access available across the library network. The introduction of new technologies such as RFID (self-service) have made the most efficient and effective use of staffing resources and library support operations. RFID Self Service machines were introduced in both Carlow Central and Tullow libraries at the beginning of the year. With almost 200,000 items issued in Carlow libraries each year, the new self-service machines help reduce queues, empower library members and facilitate faster service. They are a welcome addition to the ICT infrastructure and free up library staff to give more personal attention to customers when needed. The library website received an overhaul during the year and a fresh look was applied based on user desires, page hits and a simplified design. The website retains the domain www.carlowlibraries.ie and receives between 3,500-4,500 visits per month. Three new iPad minis, funded by the Age-Friendly Town Plan to help develop digital literacy skills in older people were purchased in 2015. Carlow Central Library continued to run Benefit4 computer classes for beginners and older people as part of the ICS Skills Get Ireland Online Programme, an initiative run by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
A new Print & Collect service was piloted in Carlow Central Library in 2015. Library members can now send prints from home, their personal laptop, tablet or phone and collect their material later that day. It is proposed to extend this useful service to include all Carlow County Libraries in 2016. History and Heritage: Local Studies:
There were 1,074 visitors to the Local Studies Department during 2015. This was an increase of over 17% on the 2014 figure. A wide variety of queries and microfilm consultation were recorded. The Local Studies Department facilitated groups and researchers from a variety of organisations including primary, second level and third level students. The policy of collecting all publications of local or Carlow interest was continued. Additions to Journals during 2015 included Carloviana, Knockbeg Journal and the Ballon-Rathoe Chronicle.
New Genealogy Service - From February 2015, Carlow County Library Service is providing a dedicated genealogy service based in Library Headquarters with Bernie Walsh, genealogist who has been based in Library Headquarters every Monday and Tuesday from 9:30am - 1pm, 2pm-5:30pm. In partnership with the Irish Family History Foundation, an all-Ireland network of local genealogy centres, the genealogist is available to guide, assist and facilitate the public with their Carlow genealogy queries both in person, online and by phone. The records of the Roman Catholic parishes of Co. Carlow have also been added to the www.rootsireland.ie database. This is a subscription based service. The website provides access to a database of over 20 million genealogical records for the island of Ireland. The database of records contains birth, baptismal, marriage, death, census and gravestone records from the 1600’s to the 1900s. Those wishing to trace their Irish ancestry can now access this central website dedicated to providing access to all the available Irish genealogical records on the island of Ireland. Carlow Library service receives on average 1,000 queries per annum with
a local, national and global remit. This service will allow those abroad to research independently the records online and will also facilitate the many tourists and researchers who require onsite assistance and guidance.
Literacy Development: Public libraries support learning at all stages in life, offering support for everyone from babies and small children to mature and older people. Carlow Library service provides access to a diverse collection of materials in a variety of genres and formats. Currently the library collection holds The Six Book Challenge – Carlow Library Service in conjunction with the Reading Agency worked together to bring the programme to a wide variety of readers in Carlow in 2015. Based on the premise of six books over six months the aim of the programme has been to engage people in text that may be best achieved for new readers through poetry, magazine or newspaper articles or through other formats such as eBooks. The Six Book Challenge ran throughout the year with various different groups as part of Carlow Library Service role in supporting literacy skills across all ages and worked in conjunction with an ongoing programme of events as part of the national Right to Read initiative. A Read with Me library open day was held on March 21st for parents and children under the age of 6 years to encourage reading and launch a new collection of children’s books funded by the ETB under its’ family literacy programme. A follow up series of literacy workshops were held throughout the county during the summer months facilitated by Mary Howard who imparted advice on reading with children and practical literacy development. This project was funded by Carlow Community & Voluntary Forum.
Business and Employment Support: Carlow County Library Service is participating in a new national pilot project offering business and employment support services at Carlow Central Library. Under this pilot we began offering the following services in 2015: Extensive collection of business & employment related titles in print, eBook, eAudiobook and eMagazine format. Public computers with Internet, Microsoft Office and Wi-Fi access in all our libraries. CV, invoice, receipt, gift certificate and letter templates on all our PCs Access the online library catalogue and view your member account from anywhere. Current and archived newspaper collection. Driver Theory Test CD including car, bus and truck theory. Facility to send prints from your home or business and collect in Carlow Central Library. computer classes for beginners online learning and services with access to over 500 eLearning courses and eLanguage learning with 80 languages available Vision Net: online business database
Awards: Carlow Library Service was successful in the Public Libraries Section Project Prize. The prize was a fund of €1,000, awarded by votes from delegates at the Library Association Public Libraries Conference 2015 on their favourite shortlisted project. Applications had been invited from all local authorities with the aim of providing an opportunity to develop and implement innovative ideas. The initiative served to stimulate ideas and creativity amongst public library staff and the presentation to conference delegates allowed for potential project emulation in other libraries. The finalists were Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford library services. Carlow’s winning project was ‘Live from the Library’, working with local teenagers on a six-month production of YouTube music videos on issues facing teenagers.
Our People: In 2015: We welcomed – Fiona Foskin – Executive Librarian in Carlow Central Library Bernie Walsh – Professional Genealogist in Carlow Local Studies Department Collette O’Halloran – Temporary Library Assistant in Carlow Central Library Kevin Berney – Jobs Bridge intern in Carlow Local Studies Department Wesley Hoey – Tús intern in Carlow Central Library Aileen Kennedy – Jobs Bridge intern in Carlow Central Library
We said goodbye to – Rosemary Moran – Assistant Staff Officer who returned to Carlow County Council general Geraldine Egerton - Temporary Library Assistant in Carlow Central Library Maureen Finn - Jobs Bridge intern in Carlow Local Studies Department Emma Galbally - Jobs Bridge intern in Carlow Central Library Clodagh Kinsella who went on maternity leave
Staff Training 2015: February 12th - Customer Service Training (All staff) February - PMDS Training (All staff) March 12th - One Day First Aid Refresher Course (Helena Lawlor, Brigid Johnson, John Patton, Clodagh Kinsella, Jean Broderick) March 18th - Business and Employment Training Day (Deirdre Condron) March 24th - LMS Training Day in LGMA (John Shortall & Josephine Coyne) May 19th - Business and Employment Training Day (Helena Lawlor & Jonathan Dunne) June 16th - Making the Media Work for You (Josephine Coyne & Jannette O’Brien) June 23rd - Garda Vetting Information Day (Fiona Foskin) July 23rd - Digital Exhibition Workshop (John Shortall) August 13th - Driver CPC Module 1 (Martin O’Rourke) September 30th - Training on Carlow Public Participation Network (Deirdre Condron) October 16th - Working at Heights Safety Awareness Course (Martin O’Rourke November 10-13th – LAI Public Libraries Conference (John Shortall, Fiona Foskin, Jannette O’Brien, Brigid Johnson) November 19th - Media Training by DCM Ltd (Deirdre Condron, Fiona Foskin, John Patton, Jonathan Dunne, Bernie Brennan, Brigid Johnson) November 30th - Computer Training for branch staff with John Hennessy
Next year:
ARTS PROGRAMME
Strategic Developments for the Arts in County Carlow: During 2015 the Arts Service developed a new County Carlow Local Arts Development Plan 2016-2021 which was adopted by Council in 2015. The plan sets out to lead, nurture and sustain the arts in County Carlow and is available through the arts service or can be downloaded from www.carlow.ie.
Carlow County Council Arts Office during 2015 is now on FACEBOOK with the address : www.facebook.com/Carlow-Arts-Office
VISUAL – In 2015 the Arts Office continued to work closely with VISUAL Carlow through programmatic partnerships that include access for local communities to VISUAL.
Carlow Arts Festival – Eigse – The Arts Office continues to work closely with the festival, supporting the Director and staff, as well as supporting local artist’s exhibitions that have taken place during the festival throughout Carlow town. The arts office have also part-funded and project managed events taking during the festival as well as supporting local artists to platform their works during the festival.
Dresser Project During 2015 the arts office worked with artist Michael Fortune on the Dresser Project www.dresserproject.com that saw the open call across the county for stories and images of Irish dressers within the county. Image below depicts Carmel Brennan Tullow with her Irish Dresser. This exhibition will be held in Carlow Library Carlow Town during 1916 Bealtaine Festival in May.
County Carlow Youth Theatre – Tullow and Carlow Town County Carlow Youth Theatre continues to build on their established reputation as a sustainable and ambitious youth arts project, a model of community youth art engagement. Countywide there are two youth theatres based in Carlow town that is open to all ages range from twelve to eighteen years. Youth people can join the youth theatre with no prior experience in drama. Throughout 2015 eighty young people accessed this service, in 2015 the youth theatre worked with the national organization National Association of Youth Theatres and performed in Dublin, the Youth Theatre continues to be managed through the Arts Office.
Artist in Residence – The Arts Office in 2016 partnered with VISUAL to supported WillFRED a theatre company that culminated in the production of JOCKEY that went onto premier in the Dublin Dance Festival – written, directed and performed by Sophie Motley, Emma O’Kane and Sarah Jane Sheils.
Music Generation Carlow The Arts Office continued in 2015 to take a multi- partnership approach to music education in County Carlow. During 2015 5,500 young people in the county are now accessing music education through schools and community hubs, also there are currently thirsty two musicians working across county Carlow in music education as a result of this programme. Music Generation Carlow is led by Kilkenny Carlow Education Training Board and managed by Paula Phelan the Music Generation Coordinator.
Public Art Working Group – and 1916 Committee
During 2015 the Arts Office is part of the County Carlow 1916 Committee and responsible for commissioning four projects for this programme. During 2015 Artist Peadar Lamb was shortlisted following open competition to design and make a stained glass window commission that will be sited in County Carlow Museum in 2016 to commemorate, remember and reflect the lives of Carlow connected personnel during 1916. Also Carlow Stone Centre was awarded the commission for a memorial to Fr Bibby and Nurse Keogh in Bagenalstown County Carlow that will be unveiled during April 2016. In addition the Arts Office will be managing 2 further commissions that were awarded in 2015 for 2016 that include a film maker Michael Fortune who will be documenting the ordinary untold stories of County Carlow during 1916 and information can be found regarding this project on www.storiesof1916.com in partnership with the County Library Services and in also along with the County Youth Theatre the arts office will be managing ‘Project Revolution’ a dramatic production by young people of Carlow due to take place in 2016.
Mahler’s Symphony No 2 “Resurrection”
During 2015 the Arts Office worked alongside Director Fergus Sheil and the National Symphony Orchestra with the recruitment of singers from across the county to perform Mahlers Symphony No 2 in Carlow Cathedral. Rehearsals took place during April and May in 2015 and were managed through the arts office, with the inclusion of a local choir made up of over sixty singers from across the county, the final performance took place in partnership with Carlow Arts Festival in June 2015 in Carlow Cathedral, with a sold out audience.
Artlinks – Supporting local artists – the Arts Office continues to work in partnership with Wexford, Kilkenny and Waterford County Arts Offices on this initiative which provides support and financial commitment to the development of the artist led initiatives programme, as well as support for artist development through bursary and award schemes and mentorship programmes. There are currently one thousand, five hundred and fourteen plus+ membership of Artlinks. The artlinks website was recently renewed and the new service which provides funding, mentoring and supporting opportunities for artists in Carlow was re-launched in early June. www.artlinks.ie.
Support for Artists 2015 In 2015 the Carlow Local Authorities provided funding support to County Carlow Artists and groups. Over fifteen local Carlow artists through the provision of small grants/bursaries to assist with expenses in relation to any of the following categories: Artists’ professional development, Artists’ creation of art and Artists bringing their art to the public.
Arts Acts Grants Scheme 2015 The aim of this scheme is to raise the standards of arts practice in the County. The Scheme also aims to pro-actively remove barriers, which lead people to be excluded from the arts/arts appreciation in their area. Ninteen local organisations benefited from the scheme.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Information Technology Carlow County Council is committed to developing and advancing information systems to increase the efficiency and quality of service delivery to our customers. The Councils Information, Communications and Technology Department manage all information system requirements.
Wide Area Network Carlow County Council operates a complex Wide Area Network (WAN). The network consists of many different elements ranging from switches, routers, wireless links and fibre optic connections. To ensure seamless service delivery the network requires constant maintenance, monitoring and upgrading/future proofing. There are nineteen remote sites on the WAN. Five of these sites are linked by fibre utilising Carlow’s MAN (Metropolitan Area Network). The remaining fourteen sites are wirelessly linked. The links are connected back to the County Buildings from a central mast on Rossmore Hill, behind Carlow Town.
Email Following a competitive tender process in August 2015 Carlow County Councils ICT Department began migrating our email infrastructure to a new cloud based platform in November 2015. This project was completed in December 2015. The move provides a more resilient and cost effective platform for staff thereby allowing them to deliver better customer service.
Graveyards In 2015 the ICT Department in conjunction with the Councils Environment Department, Carlow Library, County Museum and local community groups continued digitising and mapping cemetery registers as part of the ongoing Plotbox Project. This process will continue in 2016.
Website Launch Carlow County Council launched its new website in August 2015.The website offers quick and easy access to essential information on the services that Carlow County Council provides. Key features of the site include a cleaner and more attractive design, a more engaging user experience with enhanced search and navigation features. The “All Publications” section of the site, allows users to quickly and easily find Application Forms or Council Documents by entering search criteria.
The sites refreshed and simplified look, combined with enhanced content, improved search functionality and optimization for mobile devices allows users to better interact with Carlow County Council online. Real time information is provided via links to Twitter & Map Alerter. The services which are prominent on the home page are those statistically most frequently accessed by the public.
MOTOR TAXATION
Carlow County Councils Motor Tax Office delivers a high standard of service to members of the public. The collection of Vehicle License Fees remains its primary function.
Online Motor Taxation transactions can be carried out at the Civic Offices in Muinebheag and Tullow. This service is also available at Council libraries located in Carlow, Tullow and
Muinebheag in addition to the CRISP centres at Ballon, Borris, Carlow and Hacketstown.
STATISTICAL DATA
Almost 46,000 transactions were completed in the Motor Tax Office in 2015. Over 39,000 tax discs were issued. Total monies collected in 2015 amounted to €8 million as follows.
€ million %
Private Vehicles 5.50 69%
Goods Vehicles 2.00 25%
Miscellaneous 0.50 6%
Total 8.00 100%
In addition 46,953 transactions to a value of €8,360,200 were processed online.
WATER SAFETY
WATER SAFETY
Funding was provided by the County Council during the year to ensure the provision of the Water Safety programme, including the employment of two teams of lifeguards at the popular bathing areas located on the River Barrow at Bagenalstown and Clashganna Borris. Their two month period of employment commenced on 27th June with generally favourable weather conditions encouraging significant numbers of bathers to enjoy the amenity provided by the River Barrow. The Council’s lifeguarding services undertook risk management interventions which prevented accidental drowning’s and potentially hazardous aquatic situations, involving all age groups, developing.
Clashganna and St. Mullins which are serviced with suitable car parking and refreshment facilities, are continuing to experience significant popularity in camping, hiking and water based sports activities. Clashganna is an official venue for canoe/kayaking competitions and training events also organized by the Irish Canoe Union. The intensification of use by commercial water based adventure interests in this area is noted. While the County does not yet have a significant ‘dependent on water’ business population the existence of passenger/leisure craft and marine infrastructure concurrent with upgraded restaurant/social venues in close proximity to the navigable River Barrow in the County makes the river an increasingly significant leisure/tourism activity asset, especially so during favourable weather conditions.
The Water Safety Development Officers annual conference was held in Co.Donegal during April. While the main theme of the conference was “The value of co-operating with other agencies to reduce drownings” there was much emphasis on teamwork working towards a common vision – “every person a swimmer, every person a lifesaver” for lifesaving can mean many things – be it the advice a parent or teacher delivers to a child; the imparting of local knowledge to visitors; the responsibility to self in terms of the safe use of equipment; responsibility to others in terms of child supervision and behaviours appropriate to aquatic environments. The operational effectiveness of local authority’s water safety programmes during the 2015 high season was subsequently reviewed by WSDO’s/Irish Water Safety in September.
Carlow Local Authority area offices routinely replace missing lifebuoys and provide necessary lifebuoy stations at priority locations along rivers in the county. The frequency of destruction of lifesaving equipment at Carlow Town Park has been brought to the attention of the Garda authorities who operate the Riverwatch Scheme in an effort to control the risk of criminal and anti-social behavior on or adjacent to the River Barrow in the county.
CIVIL DEFENCE
Carlow County Council, is the Civil Defence Authority for the administrative area of County Carlow. The 2003 Civil Defence Act sets out a number of roles for Civil Defence and these include providing a backup service to the Primary Emergency Services, Community Service, Training in Casualty, Radio Communications, Rescue, Welfare, Fire Fighting and Boating Skills (search and recovery). Civil Defence also provide service to the Local Authority, HSE, and Gardai in the event of severe weather conditions such as flooding and snow.
Nationally since January 2013 The Civil Defence Board has been dissolved and Civil Defence is under the Department of Defence, Civil Defence Branch.
The new Major Emergency Management Framework document also sets out roles and responsibilities for Civil Defence, such as setting up Welfare Centres, Registration of Casualties, responsibility for casual volunteers and Secondary Line back up to the Primary Emergency Services. The members of Civil Defence are all volunteers with the exception of a part-time Civil Defence Officer employed by Carlow County Council. At present we have over seventy volunteer members ranging from locations such as Carlow town, Muinebheag, Borris and Rathanna. Weekly training on subjects such as First Aid to CPR level, Occupational First aid,( OFA), Emergency first Responders, Emergency Medical Technician, Fire Fighting skills, Rescue techniques, Technical rescue, Search Skills, Welfare etc., are taught and practised. On our training schedule at weekends the subjects taught are exercised and the skills resulting from this are pitched against other counties in competition at various venues. Also our training at field days are used for searching in open country, AFS firefighting events, and Search Skills training on land and with boats in the river Barrow and Slaney. The new Civil Defence building is fully operational since September 2009, this is making our operation more efficient and gives a much more effective and quicker response. 2014 also saw a new Search Skills Training Course rolled out for our members and taught in the Garda College. Carlow members were one of the first to embrace this activity and we gained status to Instructor level.
Since mid-2014 we also have Instructor level at Water Awareness and Swift Water Flood First Responder.
Civil Defence Boat units provides back up assistance to the Fire service and Gardai in River Search and Recovery (RSR) situations. Volunteers are trained in Boating skills, River and land search and recovery techniques for back up situations to Gardai. Water awareness and Swift Water Flood Response courses are run throughout the year.
Civil Defence set up a Multi-Agency Day and Night Searches on different sections of the River Barrow which included Gardai and Fire Service to test various skills which include River search techniques in hours of darkness, Lighting equipment, Access points to River edge, Control of Boating, Communications, and Body Recovery.
Civil Defence Assisted PRA with flooding at the End of December.
Grants. We obtained the following grants from the Department of Defence. Civil Defence Branch.
In 2015 we obtained grant of €22,000 for the purchase of New Peugeot boxer Van type vehicle for Equipment transportation. We obtained grant of €16,700 towards the purchase of 4WD Land Cruiser for Servere weather work. We obtained special Raft for Flooding at the value of €4,000.00
List of some of the activities covered by Civil Defence during 2015 Date Activity Venue Operation Transformation Rathwood, Tullow, County Carlow. 17/01/2015 Safety and First Aid 18/01/2015 Swiftwater First Responder Course. River Barrow, Milford, Co. Carlow.
24/01/2015 Training for Swiftwater First River Barrow, Carlow Town. Responders. 25/01/2015 Swiftwater First Responder Course Part Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. 2. 01/02/2015 Rope Operators Course. Bagenalstown HQ.
08/02/2015 5 Km Walk VEC First Aid and Traffic. Muinebheag / Leighlinbridge
Driver Training Carlow Town. 15/02/2015
ISA Training Course based in Carlow River Barrow. 21/02/2015 Town, ( Level 2.) To 22/02/2015
28/02/2015 Search Skills Course Mount Leinster County Carlow. 01/03/2015 area. To. 08/03/2015 Search for Missing Person Thomastown County Kilkenny Assist.
17/03/2015 Stewarding at St. Patrick’s Day Parades. Carlow Town and Myshall, Muinebheag and Leighlinbridge. 22/03/2015 Des Hanlon Cycle Race. Carlow / Laois Circuit. 29/03/2015 Search Fields Course. Mt. Leinster. Co. Carlow.
04/04/2015 Prep. For Dawn Mass on Mt. Leinster. Co. Carlow.
05/04/2015 Dawn Mass 4am to 9am Mt. Leinster 12/04/2015 EFR. Training. Bagenalstown. 18/04/2015 Trauma Challenge Cork, Cork.
26/04/2015 Swiftwater Training Clashganny County Carlow. 10/05/2015 Boat Training River Barrow. Bagenalstow to Graigue
17/05/2015 An Post Ras. Stewarding. County Carlow. 30/05/2015 to 31/05/15 Carlow Regata Safety Boat.
24/05/2015 Rope operators Course. B.town Fire station. 07/06/2015 Dragon Boat Safety Boat. Carlow River Barrow. 14/06/2015 Boat/ Swiftwater Training Carlow River Barrow. 23/06/2015 Pride of Place Duty First Aid Tinryland. Co. Carlow. 04/07/2015 Stewarding Cancer Charity Walk, Mt Myshall to Mt. Leinster. Leinster. 12/07/2015 to 13/07/2015 Dromineer, Co. Tipperary Boat Skills Training
Bagenalstown festival Bagenalstown various locations 19/07/2015 to 20/07/2015 02/08/2015 Casualty duties. 09/08/2015 Ducketts Grove Fair Casualty duties. Carlow Car Vintage Rally 15/08/2015 Borris Fair Borris. First aid and stewarding. 13/08/2015 RSA. Vehicle Inspection Course. Bagenalstown HQ.
22/08/2015 Dawn Walk Cancer Fund raiser Mt. leinster.
29/08/2015 Taste of Carlow Fair Casualty Duties. 30/08/2015 Walk for Autism Casualty Duties. 13/09/2015 Boat Training River Barrow.
27/09/2015 Leighlinbridge Race. Casualty duties.
04/10/2015 Credit union Fun Run. Bagenalstown
11/10/2015 Fire Drill Training Bagenalstown F.S.
18/10/2015 Night search Skills Mount Leinster.
01/11/2015 Swift water Flood First Responder Civil Defence HQ. Course 15/11/2015 Tetra Radio Training Phoenix Park, Dublin. 29/11/2015 National Radiation Exercise. Counties Laois & Carlow
06/12/2015 Duckets Grove annual Christmas Ducketts Grove, Carlow. Markets and Festival.
30/12/2015 Call- out to Flooding. Staint Mullins, Co. Carlow and Tinnahinch area.