Ratoath and Environs Water Supply

Water Notice - Water Mains Flushing to Ratoath and Environs Water Supply, - from Tuesday 13th December 2011 to Friday 23rd December 2011 daily Monday to Friday

Date Released: 12 December 2011

Public Notice
Water Mains Flushing to Ratoath and Environs Water Supply

Meath County Council wishes to advise that water mains flushing to Ratoath Water Supply network will be carried out from Tuesday 13th December 2011 to Friday 23rd December 2011 daily Monday to Friday.

Mains’ flushing is carried out to improve the quality of water supply to our consumers. Consumers in areas where flushing will take place may notice temporary discolouration to their water however this discolouration should clear when allowed to run for a few minutes.

Consumers in Ratoath and surrounding areas may experience low pressure to their water supply for the duration of these works.

Meath County Council regrets any inconvenience caused.

Milk levy would provide boost for dairy industry

Fine Gael Meath East TD, Regina Doherty, has welcomed the decision from the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, to begin a consultation process on the introduction of a milk levy. Deputy Doherty said the revenue raised would be ring fenced to promote dairy products and target new markets.

“The Minister for Agriculture, like all of his Cabinet colleagues, has had to engage in some very innovative thinking in the run up to Budget 2012, due to our constrained economic circumstances. I believe Minister Coveney has delivered a programme of measures that will support growth and innovation in the agri-food sector.

“One such measure is the possible introduction of a milk levy. The Minister is going to begin a consultation process on the proposal in the New Year. The idea is that a very small levy, something in the range of 0.001 cent, could be placed on each litre of milk, to provide funding to specifically promote dairy products.

“I think this is an extremely clever idea; the consumer wouldn’t notice any price difference, while the industry would be provided with a revenue stream for dairy product promotion. This would help the dairy industry to specifically target new markets, realising increased potential and securing the viability of the industry into the future.

“A number of other key elements in the Budget will be of specific benefit to the diary industry. Minister Coveney has announced a series of animal health initiatives, including a voluntary BVD eradication programme, a new initiative to tackle Johnes Disease and changes to the brucellosis testing for dairy herds.

“These are small, cost effective measures that can make a real difference, and, together with the range of other initiatives being implemented by Minister, they will help to foster growth and employment in the agri-food sector.”

Budget to benefit 214,000 homeowners who bought at peak

First time buyers between 2004-2008 to get mortgage interest relief boost

Fine Gael TD Regina Doherty, has today (Wednesday) said the mortgage interest relief measure in yesterday’s budget will benefit an estimated 214,000 people who bought their first home during the peak of the property boom.

“This increase in mortgage relief will free up a significant amount of money for hard pressed families and help them hold on to their homes. By increasing the Mortgage Interest Relief to 30% for people who bought between 2004-2008, Minister Noonan has eased the pressure on those who are possibly the biggest victims of the economic collapse.

“Increasing mortgage interest relief was at the core of Fine Gael’s proposals during the General Election. I am extremely pleased that we are able provide this essential support to families who may be teetering on the edge of mortgage default and those living in fear of losing their jobs.

“I have heard from so many people who paid hugely inflated prices for their homes and are now struggling to pay their mortgage. I genuinely believe that this measure will make life a little bit easier for them.

“Despite the extreme challenges involved in managing the economy in these very challenging times, we are determined to be as fair as possible. One of the first actions of this Government was to reverse the cut in the minimum wage which was introduced by the last Government. As with the abolition of the Universal Social Charge (USC) for low earners and yesterday’s increase in mortgage interest relief, I am pleased that we now have a Government that is determined to be as fair as possible throughout the budgetary process.

“This is the first Government measure taken since the property market collapsed in 2008 that has given hope to struggling homeowners that bought their first home during the boom.”

Let’s get the ‘Plus One Project’ going – Doherty

Enterprise Budget will help support business and innovation

Fine Gael Meath East TD, Regina Doherty, has said that small businesses will benefit from the Government’s decision to maintain funding for the Department of Enterprise, with about €1 billion euro to be provided for enterprise capital supports over the next two years.

“The Government has clearly illustrated its commitment to jobs in this year’s Budget, by broadly maintaining expenditure in the Department of Enterprise. A whole range of supports and initiatives are planned over the coming year which will directly benefit small businesses. Now is our chance to get what I like to call the ‘Plus One Project’ going; by encouraging and supporting every small firm in the country to take on just one extra employee, we could get to grips with our unemployment crisis.

“The Department’s overall budget will come in at about €880 million, supporting a range of initiatives including an increase in spend for Enterprise Ireland; a 10% rise in the number of high potential start-ups being supported; new technology centres in IT and Financial Services, a 20% increase in the number of Innovation Partnerships and support for over 3,000 researchers.

“The Government is directly targeting the SME sector in its Action Plan for Jobs, which will be up and running in January. This means a Micro Finance Fund and a Partial Loan Gaurantee Scheme will become a reality. This will help to directly tackle the biggest issue facing so many small businesses; access to credit.

“There’s no reason why we can’t compliment these initiatives with other low cost projects, which could have a hugely positive benefit. Why not get an ‘Innovation Bus’ on the road, travelling to towns around the country, to provide helpful advice and information to prospective business people. Entrepreneurial spirit is incredibly high in Ireland; the Government’s drive and focus to grow the economy and get people working again will help us to tap into that huge potential.”

Bruton welcomes pro-jobs measures in Budget

Minister for Jobs publishes tender and unveils further details of Temporary Partial Loan Guarantee Scheme, expected to be operational in Q1 2012

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD today welcomed a series of pro-jobs measures in Budget 2012, announced today by the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD.

Minister Bruton said that as a result of a series of measures announced, it would be cheaper and easier, to engage in crucial R&D activities, to export to key growth markets, to run a start-up company in Ireland and ultimately to create jobs.

The principal measures include:

·        Leaving income tax untouched. Both international and Irish evidence shows that low labour taxes support jobs.

·        To incentivise company start-ups, the corporate tax exemption for start-up companies will be extended to include companies who commence trading in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Most jobs are created by start-up companies.

·        A Foreign Earnings deduction. This targeted deduction will apply where an individual spends at least 60 days a year developing markets for Ireland in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and will incentivise companies to place staff overseas to encourage export sales.

·        Restatement of the Government’s firm commitment to the 12.5% rate of corporation tax.

The Minister for Finance also announced a series of changes to the research and development tax credit, a widely-used tax credit which was previously improved in May’s Jobs Initiative. This is aimed at encouraging companies, both domestic and multinational, to spend on research and development, and currently allows them to write off a portion of such expenditure against corporation tax. The changes announced today will be targeted particularly at encouraging SMEs to engage in R&D, and will mean that:

·        A greater portion of the total spend on R&D can be written off, by including without restriction the first €100,000 spent for the purposes of availing of the credit. This measure is included in the Programme for Government.

·        Businesses who outsource research and development activities to universities or other organisations will be subject to fewer limits in availing of the tax credit. Since SMEs generally have less in-house R&D capabilities than larger companies, this will make it easier for them to avail of the tax credit and will encourage the creation of new high-value R&D jobs

·        Companies will have the option to use a portion of the R&D tax credit to assist in the employment of key employees to drive the development of R&D

Other measures include:

·        A package of measures to support the continued success of the financial services industry – in particular the international funds industry, the corporate treasury sector, the international insurance industry and the aircraft leasing industry.

·        A Special Assignee Relief Programme. Many senior employees and key leaders in multinational corporations are internationally mobile within their organisations. Often these people have large teams around them and are key decision makers. Today the Government announced a series of measures to make it more attractive for these people to locate in Ireland.  This, in turn, will increase the chances of the Irish operations of these corporations winning future jobs and investments, particularly in the start-up phase.

Minister Bruton recently announced, along with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, details of a Temporary Partial Loan Guarantee Scheme and a Micro-Finance Loan Scheme and the Minister for Finance referred to these measures in his speech today. The Minister today announced the publication of a tender for an operator for the loan guarantee scheme, and unveiled further details of the Scheme (see notes for editors).

The Minister for Finance also indicated that he would be considering other measures for inclusion in the Finance Bill, and Minister Bruton today signalled his intention to make further submissions to Minister Noonan in that regard.

Welcoming the announcements, Minister Bruton said:

“The Government is determined that, alongside the very painful budgetary decisions we have to make, we must implement our plan for economic recovery and job creation. There are many aspects to this, including January’s Action Plan for Jobs and of course the crucial task of restoring our public finances to a sustainable path.

“This Budget represents a positive step towards restoring our international reputation and restoring confidence in Ireland as a location for investment, trade, and job-creation. It also includes a series of tax changes to incentivise businesses, from SMEs to large multinationals, to establish, grow and invest in job-creating activities. In the context of the severe constraints on the public finances and the need to make adjustments, this represents a significant statement of Government priorities.

“As a result of the measures announced today:

·        It will be easier for many micro-enterprises and SMEs to access vital credit

·        It will be easier and cheaper for small businesses to engage in crucial research and development activities

·        It will be cheaper and easier for businesses to export to key growth markets in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

·        It will be easier and cheaper to run a start-up business

ENDS.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Temporary Partial Loan Guarantee Scheme

Minister Bruton yesterday published a tender for the management and operation of this scheme. Some of the key features of the scheme are as follows:

Under the Scheme, the government will partially guarantee loans by traditional lenders to viable businesses that are at the margins of commercial lending decisions and have difficulties accessing credit for either of two reasons:

·        insufficient collateral

·        the lender does not have the skills or experience to carry out a proper assessment of the proposition, due to a lack of knowledge of new sectors, markets or technologies.

The Scheme will be temporary in nature. Initial provision has been made for €450million in new lending to be guaranteed over three years.

The scheme will be demand-led, and the total amount of funding guaranteed will depend on demand, which will be monitored and will be reviewed depending on demand.

If €450million in lending is guaranteed, the Scheme is estimated to benefit over 5000 businesses, and provide over €75million in net benefit to the exchequer. The return on the State’s investment is estimated at 400%.

Micro Finance Loan Scheme

The Government also signed off on the establishment of a Micro Finance Loan Fund, to provide loans on a commercial basis for start-up businesses and micro-enterprises. It is expected that the businesses that will primarily benefit will be those at the margins of commercial lending decisions. The Scheme will use an initial exchequer investment of €10million to leverage further funds from private sources. Over a ten year period, the scheme has the potential to provide up to €100million in additional lending to over 5000 micro-enterprises over that period. The Scheme will be demand-led and the amount of funds provided will depend on the demand from viable businesses

Lower interest rates needed for spiralling credit card debts

Fine Gael TD for Meath East, Regina Doherty, has said that a more flexible approach needs to be taken by the banks to help people burdened with large credit card debts. Deputy Doherty said the situation facing many people was stark, with a total of €3 billion owed on credit cards in this country.

“Thousands of people are trying in vain to clear their credit card, but getting on top of the debt mountain can be extremely difficult due to the high interest rates being charged. We’re not talking about huge debts here; plenty of people may have run up debts of between €5,000 and €10,000 on their credit cards during the boom, and many of those who are lucky enough to have hung onto their jobs have had their incomes significantly reduced. So how are they supposed to clear a credit card debt, when interest rates of up to 30% are being charged by some banks?

“I have been contacted by a member of the public who faces 20 years of repayments to clear €10,000 of credit card debt due to the penal rate of interest she is being charged. This is a scandalous situation.

“When burdened with this level of interest rates, consumers find the money they are paying off each month is only having an impact on the interest being charged, with minimal reduction on the overall debt. If you are in this cycle, it is very hard to get out of it. I think it’s time the banks took a much more flexible approach, by issuing personal loans at a more reasonable rate of interest to their customers, to allow them to repay their debts.

“This makes economic sense. With reduced monthly repayments, consumers would have more money to spend in the real economy. It wouldn’t require the banks to stump up any cash; this solution would simply involve them taking a more realistic approach by allowing their customers to repay their debts in a sustainable way.

“I have raised this issue with the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, and I intend to pursue this matter further. I would encourage the Minister to examine what powers lie within his office, or that of the Central Bank, to put pressure on our two pillar banks. Under the current code of conduct, lenders cannot make unsolicited contact with consumers in arrears on credit cards – but what about actually helping them to overcome these debts?”

Free Technology event for Older People TRY IT

Statement by the Taoiseach on the Meeting of the European Council, Brussels, 8 and 9 December 2011.

I am pleased to have this opportunity to brief the House ahead of the next meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 8 and 9 December. The meeting will begin on Thursday evening next with a working dinner and will reconvene on Friday morning. 

The key issue before us will be the economic and financial crisis facing the European Union, and particularly the rapidly evolving situation within the Euro Area.

We will also address growth-enhancing measures and we will take stock of the implementation of commitments made by the twenty-three participating Member States in the Euro Plus Pact. 

We will also return to the issue of energy - including energy efficiency, the internal energy market, energy infrastructure and external energy policy - following up on progress since we set key policy orientations in February of this year. The question of nuclear stress tests will also arise in this context.

We will hold our annual stocktake on progress in relation to enlargement. On Friday morning we will participate in a short ceremony during which the Croatian Accession Treaty will be signed. I very much look forward to this and congratulate again the Croatian Government and people on the work and dedication it has taken to bring us to this point.

The meeting is also expected to consider the question of Romanian and Bulgarian accession to the Schengen area. We will also address the evolving situation in Iran.

The Polish Presidency will also brief us on progress in discussions on the Union’s next Multiannual Financial Framework – the Union’s multi-year budget – covering the period 2014/2020 - and will pass the baton forward to the Danish Presidency that will take office in January. 

Economic Policy 
As the House will appreciate, the economic situation in the euro area is evolving rapidly. Markets remain highly volatile and it is increasingly evident that calm will only be restored if leaders are prepared to take the clear and decisive action the situation demands.

This is a matter of the highest concern and urgency. There is a real and present sense of danger, with many openly suggesting that the very future of the currency as we know it is at stake.

The House will appreciate how damaging this continuing situation is for Ireland. We are engaged in the very difficult task of restoring our economy and returning to growth, and we have been making headway. The current climate of uncertainty puts what we have achieved at risk at a time when we are preparing to make even greater efforts to get back to economic independence, including through the measures in the upcoming budget. Everything we do in working with partners at the European Council next week will be driven by that clear objective. A stable eurozone is a vital national interest for Ireland and its future. 

But the question is not just a concern for Ireland. We have seen growth prospects for Europe generally receding, and there is concern in the international community that the crisis in Europe will spread beyond our borders and will contribute to a further slowdown in an already difficult global economic situation.

The truth is we cannot go on like this.

We need to reach decisions, to demonstrate conviction and solidarity, and to find a credible basis on which to move beyond crisis.

We agreed a great deal in October, on banks on the EFSF, on restoring debt sustainability to Greece. But it is clear that it has not been sufficient to restore confidence or to achieve the type of international buy-in we had hoped for.

We now need to examine what kind of deal would enable us to make the breakthrough we need.

There are, effectively, two sides to the equation. 

We need to reach agreement on immediate steps to overcome the current crisis.  Without this the crisis will continue and risks spiraling beyond our control.  In saying this, I fully appreciate the difficulties this presents for some. 

It is essential that European leaders make and implement clear decisions quickly to prove our shared determination to protect our currency, to support member states that are working towards economic recovery, and to introduce strong rules to ensure fiscal discipline. 
We also need to take the further steps necessary to ensure that economic coordination in the euro area is improved and that the rules underpinning the currency are strengthened and made more enforceable. 

Let me be clear – Ireland supports the creation of stronger economic governance throughout Europe, and particularly throughout the Eurozone. 
The Irish people are paying the price now for the absence of such rules in the past. I am determined that we will never go back to the practices that drove our economy off a cliff – reckless spending, poor oversight of banks and over-reliance on property-related tax revenues.

Ireland should not fear this process. In fact, we should welcome and embrace it. We are a small open economy and our prospects for recovery are heavily dependent on our ability to export our goods and services, especially to our European partners. For this, we need economic stability and growth in our neighbourhood and beyond. 

As this House will be aware, President Van Rompuy is currently preparing an interim report to present to next week’s European Council. This report will identify possible steps to strengthen economic union, focusing on further strengthening economic convergence within the Euro Area, improving fiscal discipline and deepening economic union, including exploring the possibility of limited Treaty changes.

As well as consulting with the Presidents of the Commission and Eurogroup, President Van Rompuy’s office are this week conducting an intensive round of bilateral consultations at official level with Member States. Senior Irish officials are actively participating in this process.

President Van Rompuy will also meet with Ministers at next  Monday’s General Affairs Council, at which Ireland will be represented by Minister of State Creighton, before finalising the report he will bring to the European Council.

I have been impressed by the manner in which President Van Rompuy has approached his task - he has been determined to identify first what needs to be done and only then what we need to do to achieve it.

It is quite likely that some of the measures he recommends will require Treaty change to put into effect. We will listen carefully to what he has to say and we will engage positively in the process ahead.

However, I have to say that while we need to ensure that we have the legislative framework we need for the future, we must also acknowledge that Treaty change is not something that can be achieved overnight.

Quite properly, the Treaties set out a process, involving all the relevant institutions and national parliaments, that ensures that all proposals for change are given the level of detailed scrutiny they deserve. 

It cannot realistically be expected to offer a full solution to the immediate and critical problems we face. 

To tackle immediate crisis, the first priority must be to use the existing instruments and decisions to their full potential so that the markets can be convinced that European leaders are fully committed to defending and protecting their currency.

That demands immediate action and a demonstration to the markets that we have the financial firepower necessary to stabilise the situation.

I have said that this could come from allowing the ECB to play a stronger role. There are other possibilities we could envisage, including some form of eurobonds. It is the ends and not the means that are critical here.

We should also agree to take steps towards strengthened coordination and discipline that are possible within the existing Treaties. The Commission has recently published some important proposals in that regard that merit serious consideration. 

Next week’s meeting is an important one. What we agree at the European Council must be credible and convincing in the eyes of the financial markets and credible in the eyes of the public.

In my approach to the meeting I will be reminding colleagues that, economically, Ireland remains vulnerable.

Recent times have shown that the risk of spill-over from one Member State to another is very real. While we have returned to modest growth this year, after three years in decline, Ireland's recovery is fragile.

We will continue to need the support and solidarity of our EU and international partners for some time to come. 

For its part, the Government has stressed that delivering on our EU/IMF Programme , while continuing to invest in job creation remain its top priorities– in full and on time. That is what we have done so far and that is what we will continue to do. It is the only path to rebuilding confidence in Ireland. A stable currency is indispensible to our success. 

Economic Policy – Other Issues
The meeting will also look at the broader question of the growth enhancing measures we considered at our meeting in October. I expect that we will agree to fast track a range of measures intended to boost sustainable growth and job creation, and will invite the Council and the European Parliament to facilitate and progress these efforts.

In this regard, the proposals identified in the Commission’s recently published Annual Growth Survey are highlighted as offering significant potential.

This is important work. While we need to address the crisis, it is vital that we do not become so consumed by it that we neglect what needs to be done  to restore growth and to generate jobs. I will be stressing the importance of this to my colleagues. 


The publication of the Growth Survey launches the next European Semester - the second we have undertaken, and the first to take place under the strengthened rules provided for in the recently adopted legislative six-pack. 

The European Council will also track progress on implementation of commitments under the Euro Plus Pact by the twenty-three participating countries, including Ireland.

Discussion of employment policies, including those needed to mobilize labour for growth, will be informed by the deliberations of the EPSCO - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs - Council at the end of this week.

Energy 
In February, the European Council offered orientations on energy policy. Next week we will return to the matter to see what progress has been made. We will focus on completing the internal energy market, energy efficiency, developing energy infrastructure and external energy policy. We will also consider the initial findings of nuclear stress tests, based on a Commission report, and the progress report on the security of nuclear power plants. 

Other Items
The European Council will also address the issue of Enlargement of the Union – arguably the EU’s most successful policy to date. We will endorse a set of conclusions to be finalised at next Monday’s General Affairs Council meeting. These draft conclusions are expected to reflect the progress made by a number of countries as part of an Enlargement package.

Finally, as I have said, I look forward to signing the Croatian Accession Treaty on behalf of Ireland - welcoming Croatia as an “Acceding State", entitled to interim privileges until accession makes it a full Member State. Ireland has long supported Croatia in its efforts to join the Union and we look forward to welcoming it as the newest Member State in July 2013. 

Doherty urges women to avail of regular breast checks

Fine Gael Meath East TD, Regina Doherty, has urged women to avail of regular breast checks. Deputy Doherty, who chairs the Fine Gael Internal Health Committee, was speaking following publication of a new report which highlights cancer survival rates here.

“Survival rates for breast cancer in Ireland have improved significantly in recent years. Despite this, they are still the third lowest in the OECD, according to a new report. “Early diagnosis is key when it comes to the successful treatment of cancer.

The Breastcheck service has made huge advances in this regard in recent years. The Government-funded programme provides screening and invites women aged 50 to 64 to go for a free mammogram every two years. “The service helps to identify the disease at an early stage, and it is a key defence in our battle against breast cancer. I would encourage all women who receive an invitation from Breastcheck to attend their appointment.

You can also go to www.breastcheck.ie to see when checks are being carried out in your area. “It is important to remain breast aware, and there is an onus on all of us to keep our health in check. During these times of economic hardship, we can easily let some things slip by the wayside. But it is important to remain vigilant in our battle against cancer.

“This Government is serious when it comes to tackling cancer survival rates. That is why a catch up cervical vaccination programme was rolled out in secondary schools this September. This will help to save countless lives, and will hopefully lead to a significant fall in the rate of the disease in future generations.

The Programme for Government also contains a commitment to extend the Breastcheck service to women aged 65-69. This is something I intend to pursue with the Minister for Health, James Reilly.”

Water Mains Flushing to Dunshaughlin Water Supply

Meath County Council wishes to advise that water mains flushing to Dunshaughlin Water Supply network will be carried out from Tuesday 29^th November 2011 to Friday 9^th December 2011 between 10am and 3pm daily Monday to Friday.

Mains’ flushing is carried out to improve the quality of water supply to our consumers. Consumers in areas where flushing will take place may notice temporary discolouration to their water however this discolouration should clear when allowed to run for a few minutes.  

Consumers in Dunshaughlin and surrounding areas may experience low pressure to their water supply for the duration of these works.

Meath County Council regrets any inconvenience caused.

Dunshaughlin Area Office
Drumree Road
Dunshaughlin