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Waterford City & County Council

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By Waterford City & County Council

Safeguarding water supply in Portlaw a vital focus for Irish Water as works commence

Safeguarding the water supply in Portlaw is a vital focus for Irish Water with further works planned as part of its programme to drive down leakage and reduce the number of bursts and unplanned outages impacting the community.

Irish Water, in partnership with Waterford City and County Council, is replacing 525 meters of ageing and problematic backyard service connections in George Street and William Street in Portlaw to provide a more reliable water supply, improve water quality and reduce the amount of treated drinking water lost to leakage.

The works, which are due to begin next week, are a critical step in conserving our precious resource and reducing high levels of leakage which have been a significant source of disruption and outages for customers.

Backyard services are found in older areas, often installed to the rear of a customer’s property and typically made of cast iron or lead. Due to the age and deteriorating condition of the pipework, they are often a significant source of leakage and supply disruption for customers. Backyard services are usually shared, running through a number of neighbouring properties making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Where properties share a connection, leaks and bursts affect all connected properties, resulting in low pressure and/or outages.

Irish Water would like to thank all customers in Portlaw who have engaged with us and assisted us in the provision of our back yard services programme which will not only result in significant water savings but will also reduce the number of bursts and outages impacting customers. These projects are only successful if all customers on a shared water connection support and facilitate these vital works so that the old and leaking mains can be decommissioned.

Speaking about the benefits of the project, Joe Carroll, Regional Delivery Lead with Irish Water, said: “Old backyard service connections are a huge source of leakage and continue to impact communities right across Ireland, causing low pressure and supply disruption. Replacing these old water mains and service connections in poor condition will eliminate existing leaks and significantly reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground. We would like to thank the local residents in Portlaw for facilitating these works and working with us to provide a more secure and reliable water supply for generations to come.”

Where water mains are being constructed traffic management will be in place during this time. Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times.

These works will be carried out by Shareridge Utilities Ltd in partnership with Waterford City and County Council on behalf of Irish Water and are due to be completed by the end of December.

The National Leakage Reduction Programme helps provide a more reliable water supply to Irish communities by reducing high levels of leakage and improving water quality. Since 2018, its delivery represents an investment of over €500 million to upgrade the underground water network across the country through the delivery of the Leakage Reduction Programme. Irish Water is also investing a further €250 million annually up to the end of 2030 directed at fixing leaks and replacing pipes to provide a more reliable water supply. To find out more about Irish Water’s national programme of works to reduce leakage and improve Ireland’s water supply visit our Leakage Reduction Programme Page www.water.ie/projects-plans/national-projects/leakage-reduction-programme/

Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.

ENDS

For press queries, please contact press@water.ie

By Waterford City & County Council

Webinar : Looking after your Pelvic Floor

Free webinar on Looking after your Pelvic Floor with Niamh Burn, Pelvic Health Physiotherapist on Friday 18th November at 11am.

Register for Free Here.

Join Niamh for a 1 hour adventure into the realms of the pelvic floor and its role during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Prepare yourself with expert tips to help you get to know your flexible foundations and get back to exercise post baby. Deepen your knowledge on common conditions such as urinary incontinence, over active bladder, pelvic organ prolapse and painful sex.

Niamh qualified as a Physio in 2003 at the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. She has worked with people of all ages within the NHS and private practice over many years.

Women’s health is her passion and she is skilled in helping women with pelvic health, obstetric and postnatal related conditions such as pelvic girdle pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, abdominal diastasis and urogynaecological issues like painful sex, urinary leaks and prolapse.

Her musculoskeletal and pelvic health background gives her a holistic approach and she has a keen interest in guiding women back to exercise .She has worked with high level weight lifting , circus performers to the average weekend warriors. As a Mum of 3 kids (all boys:), Niamh knows the importance of being strong for motherhood and she enjoys helping other mums focus on whatever physical issue that may be affecting their lives or holding them back from doing what they want to do!

Niamh is a member of the Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapists, a Mummy MOT practitioner and a recommended practitioner on the pelvic partnership website. She is currently studying a postgraduate masters program via Brunel University (advanced clinical practice in pelvic health). She teaches regular pelvic health workshops to women and fitness professionals who work with women.

Places are strictly limited. The webinar format means that your screen is not on so you can relax from wherever you join from! Questions are submitted via the chat box or on discussion at the end.

This webinar is part of the Waterford Healthy Ireland at your Library initiative. For more information, please go to our website,  here.

For more information, please phone 058 21141 or email library@waterfordcouncil.ie

#HealthyIrelandatYourLibrary #HealthyWaterford #KeepWell #BeWell

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford Council’s Forward Planning Team shortlisted for prestigious RTPI award

Waterford City and County Council’s Forward Planning team has been shortlisted in the ‘Excellence in Tech within Planning’ category at the 2022 RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) Awards for Planning Excellence.

The RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence celebrate outstanding plans, projects and people that demonstrate the power of planning. These awards continue to recognise and reward the brightest talent in the profession; the most outstanding plans, projects and people helping to transform economies, environments, and communities.

The Waterford project shortlisted is the ‘StoryMaps’ mapping portal, which formed part of the draft Waterford City and County Development Plan. The portal improved access to information on the plan-making process, and supported communities and members of the public to engage in public consultation processes, especially during Covid-19.

Michael Walsh, Chief Executive, Waterford City and County Council said, “I am delighted that our StoryMaps portal has been nominated for such a prestigious award.  A huge amount of work has been put into the mapping and public consultation of late.

“Waterford City and County Council was one of the first Local Authorities in Ireland to illustrate its Development Plan maps through the StoryMaps medium.  This new way of communicating provided an excellent interactive tool and facilitated complex spatial data to be displayed in a simple, efficient and effective digital manner.”

“The success of using this method and medium of consultation has resulted in a paradigm shift in the way the Planning Department conduct future public consultations,” Mr. Walsh added.

Waterford City and County Council will vie for the award along with projects from the City of London, Carlisle City Council, London Borough of Haringey and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The RTPI represents 27,000 planning professionals worldwide and promotes spatial planning, shapes policy, and raises professional standards. The Awards for Planning Excellence have been run by the RTPI for over 30 years to recognise planning excellence.

This year’s headline sponsor is WSP with other sponsors and supporters including Savills, Public Practice and Optimis Consulting.

Winners will be announced at a national awards presentation in London on November 30th.

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Image:

l-r: Jon Hawkins, GIS Project Leader; Conor Grant, A/Executive Technician; and David Quinn, Executive Planner, Waterford City and County Council

By Waterford City & County Council

Dungarvan Skate Park : Choose a new Mural : Win a €100 Voucher

Waterford Walls and Dungarvan Skate Park are running a competition to choose the type of mural park users would like to see painted in the park !

Scan the QR code, fill out the form and you could win a €100 Elvery’s Sports voucher in time for Christmas !

The option with the most votes will be chosen and the artist will engage with skateboarders about the design.  Get involved and share with your friends.

Closing date :  18th November 2022

By Waterford City & County Council

So, what is Transgender? Information Session for Parents/Families

‘So, what is Transgender?’ by Dr. Vanessa Lacey free online information session for parents / families on Wednesday 16th November at 6.30pm.

Over the last decade there has been a significant rise in people identifying as Transgender. Dr Vanessa Lacey (https://www.gendercare.ie/) will provide a brief but informative virtual session to provide background information, current thinking and future hopes in relation to trans people and their families.

This information session will be delivered through Zoom webinar. Register for Free here.

The webinar format means that your screen is not on so you can relax from wherever you join from! Questions are submitted via the chat box or on discussion at the end. The Webinar will also be live streamed from Waterford Central Library, Lady Lane. All are welcome to attend.

This webinar is part of the Waterford Healthy Ireland at your Library initiative. For more information, please go to our website, here.

For more information, please phone 058 21141 or email library@waterfordcouncil.ie

#HealthyIrelandatYourLibrary #HealthyWaterford #KeepWell #BeWell

By Waterford City & County Council

Residential Zoned Land Tax Draft Map for Waterford now available for public view

Landowners have until January 1st 2023 to check and make submissions on draft maps

Waterford City and County Council is advising members of the public they have until January 1st 2023 to check and make submissions on draft maps that show lands in Waterford that will be subject to the new Residential Zoned Land Tax.

The Residential Zoned Land Tax is a new tax aimed at increasing housing supply by activating zoned, serviced residential development lands (including mixed-use lands) for housing. Greenfield and brownfield land which is identified and is zoned for housing (include land zoned mixed-use) will be subject to tax from 2024. The tax is a commitment under Housing for All, the Government’s housing plan to 2030.

The Draft Map is now available to view on the council website and in its public offices. The Draft Map shows lands that will be subject to the new Residential Zoned Land Tax. Landowners and third parties have until January 1st 2023 to make a submission to Waterford City and County Council about whether or not land on the map meets the criteria for being subject to the tax.

They can:

  1. Make a suggested correction to the Draft Residential Zoned Land Tax Map if they feel that the land included on the map does not meet the criteria, or they disagree with the date on which the maps states the land met the criteria
  2. Request a change of zoning of their land so that it is not subject to the tax
  3. Identify other land that should be subject to the tax

Urging people to check the Draft Map, Hugh O’Brien of Waterford City and County Council said, “I would strongly urge members of the public to assess the Draft Map published on Waterford City and County Council’s website and, if required, make a submission before January 1st 2023.

Waterford requires increased housing supply to meet our housing needs and the new tax aims to incentivise landowners to develop housing on serviced lands zoned for housing, both land with existing planning permission and land without.”

The Residential Zoned Land Tax is an annual tax, which will be first due in 2024 in respect of lands included on the final maps to be published by local authorities on 1 December 2023. The Residential Zoned Land Tax will apply annually at a rate of 3% of the market value of the land. The tax will be administered on a self-assessed basis.

Homeowners will not have to pay the Residential Zoned Land Tax if they own a residential property which appears on the local authorities’ Residential Zoned Land Tax Maps, but which is subject to the Local Property Tax (LPT). If a homeowner owns such a residential property, and the land/gardens/yards attached to it are greater than 0.4047 hectares, they will have to register for the Residential Zoned Land Tax with the Revenue Commissioners, but they will not be liable to pay the tax. It will be possible to register for the tax from late 2023 onwards.

A homeowner may have to pay the tax if they own a residential property that appears on the local authorities’ Residential Zoned Land Tax maps that is not subject to the LPT.

Waterford City and County Council’s Draft Map can be viewed on https://consult.waterfordcouncil.ie or at its Customer Services Offices at Bailey’s New Street, Waterford and Civic Offices, Dungarvan.

By Waterford City & County Council

Flood Updates and Closures in Clonmel

Water Levels on the River Suir rose considerably last night. The situation is being monitored by the Flood Response Teams in both Tipperary and Waterford Councils.

Currently the Convent Road Bridge remains impassable for the remainder of today.  Access to and from the Clonmel / Dungarvan Road is via Old Bridge / Gas House Bridge.

Please also note that Knocklofty Bridge is also impassable so traffic from the Dungarvan direction needs to go through Clonmel to get across to Knocklofty / Ardfinnan and traffic coming from Ardfinnan is via Marlfield, Clonmel.

Please drive carefully and heed all warnings.

By Waterford City & County Council

Coffeehouse Lane wins inaugural Waterford Digital Awards

Overall Winner
Michael Quinn – Waterford Council, Tommy O’Connor – Coffeehouse Lane, Cllr. John O’Leary – Mayor, Brid Kirby – LEO

Waterford Local Enterprise Office, together with Waterford City and County Council are pleased to announce Coffeehouse Lane as their first Waterford Digital Awards Overall Winner.

The ceremony, which took place at Dooley’s Hotel on Friday 28th October, aimed to recognise and reward SMEs based in County Waterford who have developed their ecommerce and digital platforms as part of their product offering.

Coffeehouse Lane, the overall winner, is an Artisan Coffee roaster and producer with strong Waterford roots. It is owned by the Bergin family and run by Mark Bergin. Its range of coffees is not just inspired by its name, but also by the ethos of coffee roasting and brewing back to 1690 when Coffee House Lane, adjacent to the then busy trading port of Waterford, boasted what is long believed to be Ireland’s first ever coffee house. Green Coffee was traded at the port, then roasted, brewed and sold at John Aikenhead’s Coffee House on what became Coffee House Lane of Waterford.

Mark was obviously delighted to win the award, “When Coffee House Lane started out, we were committed to not only producing Artisan Coffee of the highest quality but also building a business that we had fun working at. We are always open to new ideas and evolving. Any modern retail business needs an effective digital sales and promotions platform. Our website is an extension of our business and our family’s attitude to our work. We’re thrilled to win this, the first Waterford Digital Awards trophy and would like to thank the team at the Local Enterprise Office who have helped us grow and grow, for many years now.”

The winners of each award category were:

  1. Best Business to Business Website – NC Consulting & Co.
  1. Best Business to Customer Website – Coffeehouse Lane
  1. Best E Commerce Website – Murphy Larkin Timber Products Ltd.
  1. Best Export Website – Herdsy
  1. Best in social media – Pepper Hustle

The winner of each category received €1,000 towards technical advice, photography, videography and marketing. The overall winner received €2,500 in cash.

Jacqui Gaule, Senior Enterprise Development Officer with Local Enterprise Office Waterford was extremely impressed with the standard of entries, “For the past number of years the Local Enterprise Offices have been promoting the importance of online sales. Though even we didn’t realise how high the bar had been set. The judges spent much longer than expected debating and deliberating on who should win each category, let alone the overall prize.

“Through training and Trading Online Vouchers many of our clients have transitioned to include digital sales and promotional platforms. This development has reaped financial rewards for many, while these awards are an opportunity to give them some public acclaim also.”

For further information follow this link www.localenterprise.ie/Waterford, contact LEO Waterford at 051 849905 or email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie.

END

By Waterford City & County Council

Winners of the Waterford Poetry Prize 2022 announced

The Arts Office, Waterford City and County Council is pleased to announce the winners of the national Waterford Poetry Prize 2022.

First prize goes to ‘In Between’ by Ian Hickey, Limerick. Ian Hickey grew up and lives in Limerick City. He currently works as a lecturer, teaching English literature. His first book Haunted Heaney: Spectres and the Poetry was published by Routledge in 2021 which was the joint winner of the British Association for Contemporary Literary Studies Monograph prize. He is developing his interest in poetry. His passion in life in surfing, and he says would give up everything to just spend to rest of his days aimlessly wandering Ireland’s west coast in search of waves. Ian was awarded €400 plus a course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore.

Second prize goes to ‘A Break in the Weather’ by Christina Park, Wexford. Christina is a freelance writer and editor based in Wexford who has had pieces published in various national newspapers, and broadcast on RTÉ’s Sunday Miscellany. Her poems have appeared in Poetry Ireland Review, the Stinging Fly, the SHOp and Crannóg. She was shortlisted for the 2015 Bridport Prize, runner up in the 2020 Trócaire/Poetry Ireland Poetry Competition and placed second in the Shahidah Janjua Poetry Competition 2022. Christina receives €300 in prize money plus a writing course in Ardmore, Co. Waterford.

Third Prize is Pigs Meat by Ciarán O’ Rourke, Galway. Ciarán’s first collection The Buried Breath, was highly commended by the Forward Foundation in 2019. His second collection Phantom Gang has just been published by The Irish Pages Press. He is a previous winner of the Cúirt New Irish Writing Award, the Fish Poetry Prize, and the Westport Poetry Prize. More information about his work is available on www.ragpickerpoetry.net. Ciarán was awarded €200.

Margaret Organ, Arts Officer said that the Waterford Poetry Prize was an integral part of the Waterford Writers Weekend and that it played a part in stimulating new poetry from all over the country. She thanked everyone who has taken the time to enter and remarked on the energy and enthusiasm of the writer Colm Keegan who took considerable time over the adjudication process. You can see Colm Keegan read the winning poems and give the background as to why he chose them on the YouTube section of www.imagineartsfestival.com

ENDS

By Waterford City & County Council

Iarratais i leith Féilte agus Imeachtaí de chuid Chomhairle Phort Láirge ar oscailt anois

Tá próiseas na n-iarratas maidir le Scéim Dheontais na bhFéilte agus na nImeachtaí de chuid Chomhairle Cathrach agus Contae Phort Láirge ar oscailt anois chun iarratais a chur isteach.

Is éard is aidhm leis an scéim ná tacú le himeachtaí ar fud Phort Láirge a chabhraíonn le hoibriú chun áit níos beoga agus níos inbhuanaithe a dhéanamh de Phort Láirge.

Tá béim níos mó ar an inbhuanaitheacht in iarratas na bliana so agus tá an Chomhairle ag féachaint le comhoibriú le féilte agus le himeachtaí ó thaobh sprioc Phort Láirge a bhaint amach i dtaca lena bheith ar an gcéad limistéar in Éirinn a bheidh neodrach ó thaobh an charbóin de.

Dhein Comhairle Phort Láirge, i gcomhar le GIY ó thaobh Féile an Fhómhair a sheachadadh i mbliana, cur i láthair ar mhórán de na bearta inbhuanaitheachta ar féidir le lucht eagair na bhféilte agus na n-imeachtaí iad a ghlacadh chucu chun a n-imeacht a dhéanamh níos inbhuanaithe, lena n-áirítear cosc a chur ar gach plaisteach aonúsáide, an taisteal gníomhach go dtí imeachtaí a spreagadh, an athchúrsáil a chur chun cinn agus feidhm a bhaint as foinsí cumhachta a bhíonn níos inbhuanaithe.

Ní foláir iarratais a chur fénár mbráid ar líne ag www.waterfordfestivals.ie, áit a bhféadfaidh iarratasóirí teacht ar acmhainní freisin a chabhróidh leo a n-imeacht a sheachadadh.  Is ar mheáin shóisialta Chomhairle Phort Láirge a fhógrófar oiliúint ar líne do lucht eagair na n-imeachtaí.

Is é an dáta deiridh a nglacfar le hiarratais ná an 28th Mí na Samhna 2022.

By Waterford City & County Council

Festivals & Events Grants Scheme 2023 now open

Applications for Waterford City & County Council’s Festivals & Events Grants Scheme 2023 are now open.  The scheme aims to help support events across Waterford which help contribute towards making Waterford a more vibrant and sustainable place.

This year’s application has an increased emphasis on sustainability and the Council is looking to work with festivals and events on delivering Waterford’s goal of becoming Ireland’s first carbon neutral area.

Waterford Council in partnership with GIY in delivering this year’s Harvest Festival, showcased many of the sustainability measures that festival and event organisers can adopt to make their event more sustainable including banning all single use plastics, encouraging active travel to events, promoting recycling and using more sustainable power sources.

Applications must be submitted online at www.waterfordfestivals.ie where applicants can also find resources to assist in delivering their event.  Online training for event organisers will also be announced on Waterford Council’s social media.

The closing date for applications is midnight Sunday 27th November 2022.

-ends-

By Waterford City & County Council

Proposed development Cnoc an Túir/Tower Hill at Newgate Street, Waterford

In accordance with Part XI of the Planning & Development Act 2000, as amended, and Part 8, Article 81 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, notice is hereby given by Waterford City & County Council of proposed residential development at Newgate Street/Browne’s Lane/Butler Court/Castle Street, Waterford City.

The proposed development, called Cnoc an Túir/Tower Hill, will consist of:

(a) 27 no. residential apartment units comprising of;
(i) 16 no. 1-bed apartments, (ii) 9 no. 2-bed apartments (iii) 2 no. 3-bed apartments
and (iv) a serviced ground floor unit
(b) Supporting development works including (i) temporary construction signage, (ii) demolition of existing buildings on site, (iii) boundary treatments, (iv) landscaping, (v) ancillary accommodation and (vi) all associated site works at Newgate Street/Browne’s Lane/Butler Court/Castle Street, Waterford City.

Plans and particulars of the proposed development will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, from 28th October 2022 up to and including 25th November 2022, and during office-hours, at:

  • Customer Care Offices, Waterford City & County Council, Baileys New
    Street, Waterford.

A copy of the plans and particulars of the proposed development may also be viewed on Waterford City & County Council’s website at www.waterfordcouncil.ie

Written submissions or observations with respect to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development is situated, may be made in writing, to arrive no later than: 4.00pm. on 9th December 2022, to;
“Director of Services, Housing Department, Waterford City &
County Council, City Hall, The Mall, Waterford”
or by emailing: part8housingsubs@waterfordcouncil.ie

It should be noted that the Freedom of Information Act applies to all records held by Waterford City & County Council.

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