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Environmental Campaigns

By Waterford City & County Council

Innovative Tree Survey featured on RTÉ Nationwide

In an effort to increase the country’s tree cover, Waterford City and County Council has compiled a unique GIS tree mapping survey, which provides vital information on biodiversity ecosystems, integral for future planning. Anne Cassin from #RTÉNationwide spoke to Council staff about this innovative system, along with local community groups which are working to enrich their communities and enhance biodiversity through tree-planting programmes.

If you missed last night programme, you can watch it here

https://www.rte.ie/player/series/nationwide/SI0000001172?epguid=IH10008772-25-0027

#TreeWeek2025 #TreeCouncilofIreland

By Waterford City & County Council

Circular Economy Grant 2025

Circular Economy Grant 2025
(previously known as the Waste Prevention Grant)

Waterford City and County Council invites submissions from community groups, youth groups, schools or other community development organisations, based in County Waterford, who are interested in receiving funding for local circular economy initiatives.

This grant is funded by the Environment Section of Waterford City & County Council as part of their Waste Prevention Programme for the County (Ref: Action Policy B.1.2 and B.2. of the Southern Region Waste Management Plan 2015-2021). This scheme aims to support communities to take steps on waste prevention, re-use and repair activities in their local areas, and encourage partnership between local businesses, local schools, charities and voluntary groups. A circular economy is based on long-life products that can be renewed, reused, repaired, upgraded and refurbished to preserve natural resources, protect habitats and reduce pollution. It is about finding ways to keep items in use longer and not generating as much waste in the first place. It’s about rethinking the way we do things – redesigning the items we use – changing attitudes and changing behaviours about what we buy and what we throw away.
The main focus for projects this year should be on projects to promote a circular economy e.g. repairing, reusing, building skills and knowledge in the community to facilitate repair and reuse, changing attitudes and behaviours to how we use items, reduce use of single use items (encourage use of reusable items). Applications for projects under these themes will be prioritised for funding.
Examples of projects are as follows: running a repair event(s) such as a repair café, how to repair a puncture, bicycle maintenance, basic sewing skills workshop (button repair, sew a hem, repair a tear, etc.) DIY skills, run a swap event, establish a sharing library/shed within a community (tool library), etc.
Projects funded in previous years include beach toy libraries, food waste reduction workshops, textile waste projects, composting systems, wormeries and initiatives to tackle disposable coffee cups.
Closing date for applications: 5pm, 11th April 2025.

Conditions and criteria used in selecting initiatives: 

1. All projects should seek to encourage waste prevention and promote the circular economy

2. Applications will only be accepted through the online application form and all correspondence will be by email using the email address submitted on the application form.

3. Expenditure under this grant must be directly and fully related to waste prevention activities and cannot be used for refreshments, prizes, entertainment, or other unrelated expenditure. Please give a complete list of expenditure with your application; any expenditure not specifically funded under this grant cannot be compensated for in grant monies. Grants should be used, where possible, to leverage local business co-funding of waste prevention measures.

4. If successful a payment of 50% of the approved grant shall be paid to the name of the Organisation specified on the Grant Application form. Please ensure that this name is the same as the name on the Organisation’s bank account. The balance grant of the remaining 50% will be paid following the satisfactory completion of the agreed project, receipt of a completion grant form and evidence of monies spent. Projects that receive funding will be obliged to submit a completion report on their project detailing expenditure. Non-payment of the second 50% of the grant is at the discretion of Waterford City & County Council if your completion report is unsatisfactory or does not correspond with the project/expenditure agreed on initially.

5. Projects should be to a high standard and should aim at establishing or replicating best practice in relation to waste prevention.

6. Any online/virtual events should be recorded or streamed live to allow as many people to attend/share the information as possible.

7. All publications, print material or virtual events must reference funding through this grant if successful in obtaining funding.

8. Please note that only applications meeting the above criteria and conditions will be considered for grant funding.

By Waterford City & County Council

Safe Routes to School Programme Boosts Safety and Active Travel at Two Waterford National Schools

Two rural national schools in County Waterford are today celebrating safer access to their grounds.

The improved safety measures introduced under the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme have had a positive impact at Our Lady of Mercy National School in Stradbally and Garranbane National School near Dungarvan.

The SRTS programme, an initiative of the Department of Transport and supported by the Department of Education, is operated by An Taisce in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Active Travel Department in Waterford City and County Council at a local level.

The programme’s focus is to implement improvements that create safer, more accessible routes for children to travel to school and to provide dedicated front of school treatments that enhance access to school grounds and ensure safe spaces for children.

At the official launch of the projects on Friday 7th March, which was followed by a reception in the Barron Hall, Stradbally, the Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr. Jason Murphy stated that the SRTS programme plays a key role in encouraging children to walk and cycle while ensuring their safety.

“By improving infrastructure at the front of schools and enhancing walking and cycling routes, we are fostering a healthier, more sustainable future for our community,” the Mayor said.

Michael Murphy, Active Travel Senior Engineer, Waterford City and County Council, outlined the improvements: “The works are designed to create safe, welcoming spaces for the children and their families. We focused on enhancing access to the schools, with measures such as upgraded pedestrian crossings, traffic calming and clear signage.”

Finola O’Driscoll, Senior Programme Manager for Active Travel Investment in the NTA, said: “This is a fantastic day for the SRTS programme in Waterford. It is incredible to see so many schools embrace this initiative, helping children start their day in an active way. The NTA would like to commend the school communities at Garranbane National School and Our Lady of Mercy National School who have embraced the importance of safer, more people focused, front of school environments.”

Tomás Walsh, Principal at Our Lady of Mercy National School, said the school community is “thrilled” to see how excited the children are about walking and cycling to school. “The improvements have strengthened the connection between the school and the village, made the school environment safer, and promoted healthier habits including a reduction in cars at the school as more children walk and cycle,” Mr Walsh said.

Anna Casey, Principal at Garranbane National School, said: “The improvements have made the front of our school more welcoming for the children to arrive and depart school each day.”

By Waterford City & County Council

Tramore Active Travel initiative reduces car use by 40% as students walk to school

A Tramore school’s walking initiative has been hailed a resounding success. Launched by Ardscoil na Mara secondary school in 2023, the Active Travel Stride to School initiative encourages its students to walk or cycle to school, reducing reliance on cars and helping to create a safer, greener community.

So far, the school has recorded a 40% decrease in the number of students travelling by car, significantly helping to reduce carbon emissions in the local area.

Establishing the Stride to School initiative was the collaborative effort of former Deputy Principal Ann Hennebry, Sustainability Lead Patrick Kirwan, Wellbeing Coordinator Anthony Widger, the Student Council and the TY Environmental Leadership Team. The school secured funding from Sanofi for the TY Environmental Leadership Development Programme and allocated a portion of this funding to hire a coordinator, Frances Fitzgerald, to manage the Stride to School initiative.

Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr. Jason Murphy has applauded the “incredible difference” the initiative is making in the community. “The Stride to School initiative is promoting active travel, and it aligns perfectly with our goals for a healthier, more sustainable Tramore. It’s wonderful to see so many students embrace walking and cycling, not just for the environment, but for the health of our children. We are creating a community where sustainability and wellbeing go hand in hand,” the Mayor said.

The Tramore school hopes to inspire even more schools to adopt the Stride to School initiative. Padraig Cawley, Principal at Ardscoil Na Mara, said: “The number of cars has decreased week after week. Our students enjoy the opportunity to chat and socialise with their friends during the walk to school, which helps them start the day feeling refreshed.”

Dylan White, Communications and Behavioural Change Officer at Waterford City and County Council, said: “The Stride to School initiative at Ardscoil na Mara not only supports the health of students but also demonstrates their commitment to tackling climate change. The reduction in traffic congestion around the school has made the area safer and more pleasant for everyone. Waterford Council look forward to supporting other schools in rolling out active travel initiatives.”

Mícheál Ó Cadhla, Community Climate Action Officer at Waterford City and County Council, complimented the efforts of the students. “The Stride to School initiative is a practical example of climate action by the students, with positive impacts both globally and locally. I hope that more schools will be inspired to follow in their footsteps,” Mr Ó Cadhla said.

Jennifer Murphy, Environmental, Health and Safety Specialist at Sanofi, said the company is committed to fostering healthier communities and a sustainable future. “Our partnership with Ardscoil na Mara on the Stride to School initiative embodies this commitment. By encouraging active travel, we’re not only promoting physical wellbeing among students but also contributing to a greener environment. This collaboration exemplifies our dedication to health beyond medicine and our belief in starting positive environmental habits early in life,” Ms Murphy said.

ENDS

Photos 1 – 5: Staff and students of Ardscoil na Mara taking part in the Stride to School initiative.

Photo 6: Staff and students of Ardscoil na Mara with Waterford City and County Council’s Dylan White and Mícheál Ó Cadhla.

By Waterford City & County Council

 €86,557 Community Recognition Funding announced for Dungarvan Community Allotments Project

The announcement by Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD of €86,557 Community Recognition Funding for the Dungarvan Community Allotments Project, Phase Two will see thirty nine community allotments delivered for the Dungarvan community.

The successful Grant application by Waterford Local Community Safety Partnership and Waterford City and County Council is Phase Two of a Community Project in Dungarvan. The overall project is redeveloping a derelict community garden into a horticulture educational and community allotment project, on the periphery of Colligan View housing estate in Dungarvan.

On a three-acre Waterford City and County Council site, a section of which had been previously used for a community garden that became abandoned and derelict, the project has seen the development of a horticultural education training centre, in collaboration with the Waterford and Wexford Educational Training Board.

According to Sinéad Breathnach  Senior Executive Officer Waterford City and County Council Community & Sports Department, “The intention is to provide a resource to local community groups of all ages, offering an opportunity to learn, to socialise, to be provided with information on training opportunities from a selection of agencies.  Now the project can be completed into a community garden with allotments for use by all the greater Dungarvan community.”

Phase One of the project with the support of a Department of Justice Community Safety Innovation Fund Safety Grant of €41,403, through the support and collaboration of WWETB, Waterford City and County Council and other partners, has seen the Community House regenerated and fitted out into a Community Further Education Training Centre with classes in horticulture and computers having started in September 2024.

The adjacent derelict gardens and allotments with extra land attributed by Waterford City and County Councils has been completely fenced in to deter previous vandalism, illegal dumping and Anti-Social Behaviour.

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Jason Murphy welcomed the Minister’s announcement stating, “In keeping with the government’s renewed commitment to ensuring our growing, inclusive, local populations are supported in making our communities thriving places to live, work and raise a family, I am very happy to welcome this funding of €86,557. This sees a total investment of €127,960 in this All of Government supported project.

“This commitment by Government, supported by WWETB & WCCC collaborative investment, ensures that the people of Dungarvan can now enjoy this upgrade to their community recreational facilities and space.”

WLCSP is a new government initiative based within the Community Department of Waterford City and County Council, which brings together statutory services, the voluntary and community sector, local Councillors and community members to work together to identify and tackle community safety issues.

In this project, through the collaboration of the WWETB, Dungarvan Gardaí, the WCCC Outdoor, Community & Housing Departments it has delivered the only project of this nature in Dungarvan and is the only community horticultural educational project in this region of Waterford.

The project will be of benefit to the full Dungarvan Community by added provision of 39 Individual Allotments, consisting fifty percent with raised beds to ensure ease of use to our aged and mobility restricted community. Five allotments will be reserved for disabled users.

A new Committee is currently being established and will be trained by the WWETB on a bespoke course. If you would like to be considered for Committee membership, please contact communitysafety@waterfordcouncil.ie  

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford City & County Council rolls out Playful Communities project

Waterford City and County Council is building on the success of its 2024 project, which encouraged healthy and active neighbourhoods.

The Playful Communities initiative encourages children and adults to safely play outdoors, and resident groups and support agencies are invited to apply for participation.

Healthy Waterford and Waterford Sports Partnership, along with key stakeholders including Waterford Area Partnership, Ready Steady Play, Sláintecare Healthy Communities, Waterford Libraries, Waterford PPN, the Community Safety Partnership and the Waterford Child Care Committee are teaming up to begin the rollout of the Playful Communities Initiative for 2025.

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Jason Murphy, officially launched the initiative at Carrickphierish Community Sports Hub and Educate Together National School, saying, “The Playful Communities initiative has proven to be an exceptional program, fostering stronger connections amongst residents and underscoring the importance of play and social interaction within our communities.

“Following its success in 2024, I am hopeful that even more communities throughout Waterford will have the opportunity to participate this year.”

Sinéad Breathnach, Head of Waterford City and County Council’s Community and Sports Department, outlined the importance of the Playful Communities approach, saying, “This project serves as a compelling example of how the community sector can effectively support residents in the development of resilient communities, particularly through the activation of accessible activities such as play and recreation.”

Building on last year’s initiative, several Playful Communities will be rolled out within Waterford City and County between May and September 2025.

To receive an application pack and to apply, email eoinmorrissey@waterfordcouncil.ie by February 28th.

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford Outdoor Recreation Plan Update – Online Survey

Outdoor Recreation Plan - Online Survey

Waterford’s first-ever Outdoor Recreation Plan is currently in development, and we want to hear from you!

An online survey has now been launched, following a series of engaging public meetings, to ensure that as many people as possible can contribute their ideas and priorities for the future of outdoor recreation in Waterford.

The plan is being developed in collaboration with Waterford City and County Council, Waterford Sports Partnership, Waterford Leader Partnership, Fáilte Ireland, Coillte, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Get Ireland Walking, with facilitation by Outscape. It aims to promote the enjoyment of outdoor activities across the county while ensuring they remain sustainable, accessible, and inclusive for all.

We encourage everyone with an interest in outdoor recreation – whether you enjoy walking, hiking, cycling, mountain biking, fishing, horse riding, rock climbing, running, orienteering, or a variety of water-based activities such as swimming, surfing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), canoeing, and sailing—to take part in this survey. Even air-based activities like paragliding and hang gliding are included in the scope of the plan.

By completing this short survey, you can help shape a plan that reflects the natural beauty of Waterford and meets the needs of our diverse outdoor community. This is a fantastic opportunity for the community to come together and co-create a plan that promotes health, well-being, sustainability, and enjoyment for everyone in a vibrant and inclusive outdoor environment for the next five years. Have your say today! Access the survey here: https://arcg.is/1KOGHn1. The closing date is Wednesday 12th February.

The development of this plan is made possible throughfunding from the Department of Rural and Community Development.

For more information, please contact David Abbott, Outdoor Recreation Officer with Waterford Sports Partnership, at 086 1650970 or dabbott@waterfordsportspartnership.ie

ENDS

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford City and County Council reminds farmers on changes to requirement to use LESS slurry spreading equipment

Waterford City and County Council reminds farmers Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment must be used for the application of slurry on holdings with grassland stocking rates of 100 kg nitrogen per hectare or above from grazing livestock manure.

These new restrictions were brought in under the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2022, which are more commonly known as the GAP regulations.

Adam James, Agricultural Inspector with Waterford City and County Council said that the adoption of LESS equipment for slurry spreading will reduce the negative impacts associated with slurry spreading on the environment and people in the community.

He highlighted the importance of farmers considering the ground and weather conditions to avoid the loss of valuable fertilisers. “All farmers will want to achieve the best value for money, from the use of their fertilisers.  Spreading fertiliser on land prior to heavy rain or on waterlogged fields, will result in the fertiliser running off into watercourses or being lost to groundwater.  This has the double whammy of the fertiliser not being available to encourage plant growth as well as causing pollution in nearby streams and rivers.

“At this time of year, a lot of land is still quite saturated, so farmers should select land which is dry (relatively free draining) and away from surface waters or land drains to receive slurry, if possible, and if not possible extra consideration must be given to buffer distances,” adding, “the slope of fields is also a factor in fertiliser loss, if the ground slopes steeply, factors such as surface runoff pathways, the presence of land drains, the absence of hedgerows to mitigate surface flow, soil condition and ground cover can contribute to fertiliser not staying where the farmer intended.”

Mr James further highlighted the importance of farmers understanding the nutrient requirements of individual parcels of land prior to the application of fertiliser.  “Farmers should work with their agricultural advisors, check their nutrient management plans or soil test results, and consider the Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) requirements before applying slurry.  Applying excess slurry to fields does not result in better plant growth, all the extra fertiliser is just lost, either through leaching to groundwater or runoff to watercourses.” 

He also pointed out that leaching of fertilisers to groundwater in vulnerable areas can also affect the quality of drinking water for people with wells nearby concluding, “It’s important for farmers to think about the health of their families and neighbours, when spreading fertiliser and to specially make sure that buffer distances to wells are maintained.”

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford City and County Council shines spotlight on public lighting

Waterford City and County Council is one of twenty-one Local Authorities taking part in the National Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project (PLEEP) to upgrade public lighting to LED.

In the Southern region 77,000 public lights will be retrofitted to LED and Waterford City and County Council is working with the lead local authority, Cork County Council, along with partner local authorities in Clare, Kerry and Limerick.

The primary objective of the project is to maximise energy savings, reduce CO2 emissions and enhance efficiency across the public lighting network by replacing the traditional light fittings with LED luminaires.

Projected energy savings of 50% will be made through the retrofitting program and 786 tonnes of CO2 emissions will be saved per year, which will significantly contribute to meeting Waterford City and County Council’s climate action target reduction of 51% in CO2 emissions by 2030.

Funding for the retrofitting of the LED lighting in Waterford is through the Department of Environment’s “Climate Action Fund” and Waterford City and County Council.

The process of retrofitting 10,000 public lights across Waterford city and county began in August last year and is anticipated will be substantially completed by August this year.

Fergus Gleeson, Director of Services, Waterford City and County Council said, “Waterford has set out an extremely ambitious strategy in its Climate Action Plan and this project aligns closely to the goal of establish Waterford as a decarbonisation zone (DZ) by 2040.

“The implementation of PLEEP copper fastens our commitment to reducing energy consumption and associated CO2 emissions. The project will also reduce the incidences of lighting outage when complete and reduce excess lighting with over designed installations.

“With advances in LED technology, the improved public lighting will add to enhanced public safety and an improved visual environment over traditional public lighting,” Mr. Gleeson added.

Le Chéile Lighting Specialist, acting on behalf of Cork County Council as the lead authority, has been contracted to carry out the public lighting works across Waterford city and county.

The company stated that “the works in the most part will present little or no disruption to the public or businesses within your area, and power will not be interrupted. Some deployment of temporary traffic management may be required in areas of high traffic volume or narrow roads to facilitate safe access to streetlights for work crews.”

A secondary objective of the PLEEP is to survey and collect data on the condition of the public lighting infrastructure to enable the region’s local authorities to strategically plan and invest in the upgrading of the public lighting underground infrastructure. This survey work has identified a number of infrastructure issues that need to be addressed before retrofit to LED can be carried out.

Deregulation within the electrical industry in 2009 resulted in Local Authorities taking over ownership from ESB Networks of underground cabling infrastructure servicing public lighting columns. This included concentric cables which had been installed since the 1950’s and represents around 15% of Waterford City and County Council’s public lighting cabling inventory.

Concentric cabling doesn’t comply with current electrical standards and where cable faults occur, the cabling must be replaced in full. As this cabling is at the end of its service life it is prone to faults.

While Waterford City and County Council will make every effort to ensure a timely repair is carried out, the time required to restore these cable faults can be considerable given the necessity to provide new ducts and cables and excavate pavement and footpaths to reinstate same.

The work is site specific and timelines for repair can be more than 3 months because the work is dependent on availability of funding and a specialised contractor. Technical human resources in the private sector are constrained at this moment in time.

In the short term to ensure public lights are repaired as faults occur, Waterford City and County Council will continue to maintain all public lighting and endeavour to keep the incidents of non-functional lights below 2% at any given time.

Public lighting faults can be logged on the Deadsure app or via Waterford City and County Council’s website https://waterfordcouncil.ie/services/roads-transport/public-lighting/

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford performs strongly in latest IBAL Anti-Litter League

Waterford has emerged as Ireland’s second Cleanest City in the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) Anti-Litter League, with Galway replacing Waterford as the cleanest city.

Waterford city ranked 16th out of 40 cities and towns and was classed as Clean to European norms.

Waterford City continues to score very well in the IBAL litter league, and this was very much helped along by seventeen out of the twenty-four sites surveyed getting the top litter grade and there were no litter blackspots.

The report also cited that the ‘road from Waterford City to the Dog Pound no longer had heavy levels of litter present and was very much deserving of the top litter grade’, while the Greenway Car Park & environs were noted as having a ‘complete absence of litter throughout the survey area.

Some of the other sites that were awarded Grade A include the People’s Park, O’Connell Street, the Medieval Quarter, John Robert’s Square (Barronstrand St./Broad Street) and the Riverwalk from The Tower Hotel to Rice Bridge.

Ballybeg achieved an excellent result and went from being classed as Clean to European norms to a Cleaner than European norms classification in this most recent survey. 

Top grades were awarded to Ardmore Terrance, Ballybeg Drive Roundabout, BRILL Family Resource Centre, St. Saviour’s GAA, Tesco Deposit Return Scheme, and Ballybeg Stores & environs.

Ella Ryan, Environmental Awareness Officer with Waterford City and County Council welcomed the IBAL league results, saying “While we are disappointed to have slipped from the top spot, the number of sites receiving the top grade remains consistent, with Ballybeg performing extremely well.

“The city was surveyed during a busy and festive time as Winterval was in full swing, and while there were some litter spots, the survey noted that some heavily littered sites in previous IBAL surveys had improved.

“We’d like to pay tribute to the Council’s Cleansing team, volunteer clean-up groups, schools and the local communities for working to keep Waterford a clean, attractive place to live, work and invest in.”

The survey also revealed a near -50% fall in the prevalence of plastic bottles and cans in the 500-plus sites monitored since the Deposit Return Scheme was introduced last year.

Conor Horgan of IBAL said, “We are definitely seeing cans and bottles disappear from our streets, which is very welcome – not only are they unsightly, but the bottles contribute to the very real problem of plastic pollution. However, it is clear from our survey that people continue to discard a wide range of litter types with flagrant disregard for their surroundings.”

Sweet wrappers and fast-food wrappers were the most common litter types, ahead of plastic bags and coffee cups, which were present in over 20% of sites.

Ryan added, “While Waterford City and County Council will continue to introduce new environmental awareness initiatives, we would also encourage the owners of private sites to ensure there are adequate bins in place so coffee cups, plastic bottles, plastic bags, fast food wrappers, mineral cans and sweet wrappers can be disposed of properly.”

Details of the most recent Irish Business against Litter Survey can be found at www.ibal.ie/anti-litter-league

By Waterford City & County Council

New Pathway Enhances Community Life in Dungarvan

Dungarvan is celebrating the success of a new Active Travel scheme that is transforming how local people go about their daily journeys.

The Tournore Permeability Scheme, developed by the Active Travel team at Waterford City and County Council, has bridged a critical gap between the Tournore housing development area and the Clonea Road and adjacent Waterford Greenway.

The new pathway is benefitting residents of Tournore Court, Tournore Park and White Strand housing estates. It offers faster, safe and more convenient access to local shops, schools and other services including a new bus stop being installed on the Clonea Road, and the ever-popular Greenway. By creating this vital link, the scheme has not only improved accessibility but also inspired a shift toward Active Travel in the area.

Residents report a noticeable increase in social interaction as more people enjoy walking and cycling along the route. Parents are increasingly seen walking their children to Sesame Early Years Specialist Day Service, located adjacent to the pathway, enjoying the ease and safety the new route provides.

“The new pathway has been a fantastic addition for the children who attend our day service, their families and for our staff. It offers safe and convenient access for everyone and encourages more families to walk to the day service. It is wonderful to see the excitement on the kids’ faces as they enjoy a more active start to their day,” Julie Mulcahy, Coordinator at the Sesame Early Years Specialist Day Service, said.

As part of the scheme, accommodation works including upgraded junctions, enhancement works to the footpaths and the amenity area, and new street lighting have made the area more attractive and inviting.

Dylan White, Active Travel Communications and Behavioural Change Officer at Waterford City and County Council added, “This project reflects the ongoing commitment of Waterford City and County Council to foster healthier, more connected communities through Active Travel initiatives. The Tournore Permeability Scheme is a shining example of how infrastructure improvements can enrich daily life while promoting environmental sustainability.”

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Photo captions:

1 and 2. Photos of completed Tournore Permeability Scheme.

3. Sesame Early Years Specialist Day Service children and staff members Melissa, Kitti and Dearbhla with Ray McGrath (Waterford Older People’s Council chairperson), Thomas Shaw Hamilton (Waterford Sports Partnership) and Susan Whelan and her new puppy.

4. Sesame Early Years Specialist Day Service children and staff members Melissa, Kitti and Dearbhla.

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford Students join the Campaign for Clean Air

Primary school students from Educate Together Tramore and St. Stephen’s De La Salle in Waterford City recently took part in a clean air campaign with the support of Waterford City and County Council Climate Action Team.

The aim of the project was to explore the issue of air quality through the medium of art, with funding from Creative Ireland.

The students in both schools have been exploring what it means to have clean air in their own community and finding out about local causes of pollution. The students collaborated with local artist Darty the Creator, who captured their ideas and presented them back to the schools in the form of banners. These banners are on display at the two schools where parents and students can see the importance of clean air to the whole community.

The students’ own ideas on the quality of their air were backed up by air quality monitors installed outside their schools. These monitors, which sample the air every 10 minutes, show how the air quality outside the schools change over the course of the day.

Commenting on the results of the monitoring, Gráinne Kennedy, Climate Action Coordinator at Waterford City and County Council said, “The students were able to identify spikes in pollution levels at both school drop-off and pick-up times, resulting from traffic on the road outside. In particular, the practice of leaving the engine running, or idling, was identified by the children as contributing to poor air quality.”

The monitors measure Fine Particulate Matter – PM2.5 – which comes mainly from sources like solid fuel burning and exhaust emissions.  According to the Centre for Research into Atmospheric Chemistry/ERI at UCC, PM2.5 is ‘the most harmful air pollutant that is associated with increases in mortality and morbidity, adverse birth outcomes and childhood respiratory disease.’

At the end of the campaign, the students sent out a very clear message to parents and others who might leave the engine running outside the school. “No idling” was the chant from students in Tramore as they held a large cutout exhaust cloud representing the pollution from cars. Meanwhile St. Stephens school sent out a message to all parents highlighting the students concerns and asking them to avoid idling.

Commenting on the campaign, Mícheál Ó Cadhla, Community Climate Action Officer, Waterford City and County Council said, “The children who took part in this project were not content to just find out about pollution but wanted to take action to reduce it. It is up to all of us, whether dropping kids to school or at any other time, to avoid idling and switch off our engines.”

Meg Halley, Tramore Educate Together teacher and Green Schools Coordinator commended the students saying, “The children have taken real ownership of it and want to improve the air quality in their local area.”

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Images (Waterford City and County Council)

  • Students at St. Stephen’s De La Salle in Waterford City giving the message to parents that they want clean air outside their school.
  • Students at Tramore Educate Together calling on drivers to avoid idling their engines to reduce air pollution outside their school.

By Waterford City & County Council

Kilbarry Nature Park and Waterford Greenway continue to fly the Green Flag

The 2024 Green Flag Awards were announced today by An Taisce Environmental Education, acknowledging Ireland’s best public parks and gardens, with both Kilbarry Nature Park and Waterford Greenway achieving a Green Flag Award for 2024.

The 2024 Green Flag Awards celebrate the recognition of Ireland’s best parks and green spaces.

The international Green Flag Award was awarded to 120 parks, gardens, greenways and wildlife sanctuaries around the country today. The award acknowledges excellence in the management of those green spaces which are freely open to the public. Ireland clearly leads the way for other EU countries, with the largest quota out of a total of 174 EU Green Flag Award sites being located here in 2024.

Following today’s announcement by An Taisce, Dawn Wallace, Senior Executive Officer with Waterford City and County Council’s Environment Department said, “These Green Flag Awards not only showcase the calibre of the wonderful natural amenities that we have in Waterford, but they also highlight the importance of shared public spaces as a place for people to relax and experience the wonder of nature on our doorstep.

“Waterford Greenway and Kilbarry Nature Park are exemplars of well-maintained public green spaces that not only improve biodiversity, but also contribute to the health and well-being of our communities.”

Ms. Wallace also acknowledged the work of the Council team in securing these awards, saying, “Each member involved in maintaining these spaces takes pride in the appearance of our parks, open spaces and amenities, and these awards is testament to the great ongoing effort shown by them.”

Emlyn Cullen, Programme Manager for An Taisce Environmental Education Unit, running the Award in Ireland said, “The continued success of the Green Flag Award is due to the love staff members have for their green spaces and the hard work they put in to maintaining them. They do a phenomenal job every day making their parks and gardens beautiful, safe spaces for the public to enjoy.”

The Green Flag Award is the international quality benchmark for the public green space sector – now operating in 19 countries around the world. Running for over 25 years, the programme uses eight key criteria, with an emphasis on environmental management, for its assessment. All sites implement a management framework, and then undergo an annual inspection conducted by qualified judges.

Once again Ireland has secured its lead in high quality park amenities with more Green Flag Awards being secured by Irish parks and public gardens than by any country, other than the UK where the scheme originated in 1996.

By Waterford City & County Council

Illegal Bring Bank dumping results in fine of €1,235

LitterOn October 14th 2024 a woman was found guilty in Waterford District Court to an offence under the Litter Pollution Act 1997 and was penalised a total of €1,235 in relation to the dumping of bags of waste at the Bring Bank in Barrack Street, Waterford.

In March 2023, an environmental inspector for Waterford City and County Council removed and searched a number of bags which had been left at the Bring Bank and found evidence linked to the woman.

A litter fine was initially issued, however it remain unpaid.  On foot of this, a prosecution was then taken to the district court.

Solicitor Hilary Delahunty acting on behalf of the woman entered a guilty plea, and Eoin O’Herlihy acting on behalf of Waterford City and County Council outlined the facts of the case and showed photographs to Judge Staunton.

Judge Staunton, accepting the guilty plea, imposed costs of €1,085 in addition to the €150 litter fine.

Niall Kane, Senior Executive Engineer in the Environment Section of Waterford City and County Council said, “The penalty imposed here would have paid for a bin service for a number of years.  Illegally dumping your waste will cost more in the long run.  People who get a litter fine have 21 days to pay and if they don’t pay within this period, they face prosecution and much higher costs on conviction.”

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