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Waterford City & County Council

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By Waterford City & County Council

Telephone Outage, tomorrow Friday 21st

Waterford Council’s telephone system will be unavailable due to essential maintenance on Friday 21st October 2022 from 8am to 6pm.  During that time, calls will be directed to our out-of-hours answering service.  Automated phone payments will not be available.

Customers can still contact Waterford Council via the email contact@waterfordcouncil.ie or via social media, as normal and our online services, including online payments, will not be affected.  

Our Customer Service Offices will remain open. 

Waterford Council apologies for any inconvenience caused.

By Waterford City & County Council

Swap for the Swap … as part of ReUse month

We all accumulate items during the course of our lives that we have outgrown or no longer have use for, e.g. sporting equipment, school uniforms, clothes etc.

Why not hold a local swap event and help your community become more sustainable? Reusing our items is a positive climate action that we can all do. Follow our ten simple steps to running your own swap event on https://waterfordcouncil.ie/departments/environment/waste-management/index.htm 

You will also find posters on our website for you to print out and use at your swap events. Let’s get swapping!

By Waterford City & County Council

Fire Safety Week : How do you Plug In ?

National Fire Safety Week is taking place from Monday 17th October to Sunday 23rd October 2022 to raise the profile of fire safety in Ireland.

How do you Plug In ?

  • Save energy! – and keep your family safe too. When you’re not using it, turn it off.
  • Overloaded sockets? – not a good idea

 

By Waterford City & County Council

Fire Safety Week : Smoke Alarm Day!

National Fire Safety Week is taking place from Monday 17th October to Sunday 23rd October 2022 to raise the profile of fire safety in Ireland.

The theme this year is “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives – Have you a plan if yours goes off!”

  • Any day is a good day to test your smoke alarms. Just press to ‘TEST’.
  • Where should your smoke alarms be? – in the stairs and hallways as a minimum.

 

By Waterford City & County Council

Orange Weather Warning : Rain for Waterford

Heavy rain on Tuesday night 18th, Wednesday 19th and Wednesday night with the possibility of thundery downpours, will lead to localised flooding.  Disruption is likely.

  • Event: Orange Rain
  • Severity: Orange
  • Valid from: Tue. 18/10 @ 10PM
  • Valid to: Thu. 20/10 @ 12AM
  • Affected Areas: Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow

By Waterford City & County Council

Two Waterford projects granted funding under Community Safety Innovation Fund 2022

It has been announced that the new Waterford Local Community Safety Partnership (WLCSP) has been successful in its recent application to the Community Safety Innovation Fund 2022, securing over €66,000 in the latest round of funding. 

The initiative aims to bring together statutory services, the voluntary and community sector, local councillors and community members in tackling community safety issues locally. The Waterford partnership is a pilot in Waterford City and County by Department of Justice and is supported by Waterford Council with the aim to replace the previous Joint Policing Committee structure.

Having submitted four applications to the Community Safety Innovation Fund 2022, the WLCSP were delighted to be included in Minister Helen McEntee’s recent announcement of €2 million in grants which sees the reinvesting the proceeds of crime back into communities. 

The independent Chair of the WLCSP, Mr Sean Aylward was delighted that an application for a Community Safety Project in Dungarvan has received €41,403 and that the Northwest Suburbs Community Action Plan also received a total of €25,000. According to Mr Aylward,

“The Dungarvan Community Project will lend itself to meaningful reskilling in the hospitality industry whilst also providing horticultural activities for youths and young adults to divert away from anti-social behaviour. It is anticipated that this project will be advanced with the support of the partners including Waterford Council and the Waterford & Wexford Education & Training Board.  

The stakeholder-driven Northwest Suburbs Community Action Plan will be the first step in providing a path forward to promote community safety and social cohesion in the combined Carrickpherish and Gracedieu areas of the city. This funding will allow us to pool the resources of all stakeholders within the partnership to the maximum benefit of safer communities. It’s a fantastic start for Waterford communities to see the proceeds of crime reinvested in local projects that improve community safety.”

At the ​announcement, Minister McEntee emphasised that:

“This fund reflects the successes of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in identifying and seizing the ill-gotten gains of criminals. Equally, people across Ireland are working tirelessly in their communities to prevent crime from taking hold and make their local areas safer. Working together, we will build stronger, safer communities.”

The Portlaw Engages Youth application has been referred to the Youth Justice Team for further consideration and with the fund due to increase by 50% to €3million under Budget 2023, there will be a further opportunity for innovative projects including the Evening & Nightime Economy Purple Flag application.   This is seen as a very positive first year for the pilot project with over €66,000 allocated to Waterford to proactively address crime in the community.

ENDS

By Waterford City & County Council

4 Waterford projects among beneficiaries as Minister Ryan launches “Pathfinder” Projects

Minister Ryan launches transformative Pathfinder Projects to bring more public transport, walking and cycling options to our villages, towns, and cities by 2025

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan T.D. today launched the Pathfinder Programme of 35 exemplar transport projects to be delivered by local authorities and agencies around the country within the next three years.

The projects are those selected following Minister Ryan’s call to local authorities over the summer to submit their most innovative, transformative plans for public transport, walking and cycling in their areas – the projects that could make the greatest difference to people living in their counties.

The result is a broad variety of projects ranging from national game-changing proposals like making College Green in Dublin car-free to smaller, creative and equally effective projects like a Bus-it-2-school project in Co. Meath or a pilot programme in Co. Leitrim to integrate Local Link with a hackney and community e-bike scheme.

The launch took place in the new Castletymon Library, which is one of the focal points on the proposed Dublin 24 Rapid Build Cycling Network, which will connect the community in South Tallaght with the Luas, Tallaght Town Centre, Tallaght Hospital, five schools and sports communities, running in part through Bancroft Park. The new cycle path will also link onto the Dodder Greenway, with plans to support the local community to access bikes.

Put together, the selected pathfinder projects will begin to transform how we move, work and live across the country. They can be split into five categories:

• National Impact: includes CycleConnects, a national brand coordinating high-quality cycle routes in urban areas.

• Cycle Network/Corridor Proposals: projects such as West Wexford Urban Cycle Network, Sligo Cycle Corridor and Meath Rural Cycleway Rapid Development.

• Public Transport: projects such as Moyross Train Station and Athlone Bus Electrification.

• 15 Minute Neighbourhoods: projects such as the Letterkenny Active Travel Town and Naas Mobility Network and the 5 Cities Active Travel Demonstrators.

• Serving Schools/Universities: projects like the acceleration of the Safe Routes to School Programme, Limerick University Connectivity, BusIT2School in Co. Meath.

• Workshops and Research: includes nationwide Sustainable Mobility Training Workshops and Leitrim “Green Mile” Mobility Pilot.

The Pathfinder Programme is focused on reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector, by enabling the shift to cleaner transport choices. It also aims to bring increased momentum to the delivery of projects at a local level, providing templates that can be replicated and scaled up elsewhere, with a strong emphasis on experimental and innovative approaches.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Ryan said:

“I was delighted with the response to my call to local authorities to participate in the Pathfinder Programme. This first selected list shows clearly that there is a real appetite for change across the country. Shortlisted projects, while all unique, have three key things in common. They are innovative. They are ambitious. And critically, they will be delivered at speed. The Leadership Group through this Pathfinder Programme will continue to engage with all local authorities to ensure momentum and that the lessons and experience of the shortlisted projects are shared for everyone’s benefit.”

“Decarbonising transport presents an enormous challenge, one which requires a fundamental change in how we travel including a shift in our mindset and choices. By 2025 the selected pathfinder projects will be in action, improving the communities in which they will be implemented, and demonstrating to other localities how our system can be transformed. By delivering quickly, and by striking out on a path which others will follow, they will help to drive implementation of the Government’s Sustainable Mobility Policy.”

Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority said:

“Pathfinder Projects will be transformative in our cities by reducing car dependency and widening access for active travel and public transport. The projects can deliver once in a generation change to active travel through CycleConnects in all our cities focusing on the delivery of the core active travel networks in those cities and making new connections such as between Limerick’s three higher education institutions. The Pathfinder projects also supports the delivery of the first zero emission public transport services in Athlone and Dingle and starts us on an ambitious delivery path for zero emission bus services across Ireland.”

Michael Mulhern, Director of Planning and Transport, South Dublin County Council said:

“The scale of interest shown by Local Authorities across the Country in putting forward so many excellent projects is hugely encouraging. It shows the level of commitment and ambition that each Local Authority has to deliver these projects which will drastically enhance our local walking, cycling and public transport networks. We need the continued support from central Government, the NTA as well as local communities to successfully deliver these projects.”

The Pathfinder Programme forms a key part of the implementation of the National Sustainable Mobility Policy (SMP), which is a vital part of the Government’s plan to meet Ireland’s requirement to achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 in the transport sector.

A full list of the 35 Pathfinder Programme projects for 2022-2025 under the National Sustainable Mobility Policy is available here.

By Waterford City & County Council

Local Litter Challenge for Secondary Schools launched

The 2022 “Tom Murphy Car Sales Volkswagen / Waterford City & County Council Schools Litter Challenge” was launched on Friday 14th October at Tom Murphy Car Sales.

Fifteen secondary schools throughout Waterford recently registered to take part in a litter challenge to help make County Waterford cleaner. This competition, sponsored by Tom Murphy Car Sales Volkswagen, will see an impressive fifteen schools carrying out clean ups of their local area over the next 6 weeks to compete for the €1500 prize money.

The competition will be judged by a member of IBAL (Irish Business Against Litter), who run the Irish Anti- Litter league of cities, towns and villages each year.

Tom Murphy, sponsor of the competition prize money, commented, “To see fifteen secondary schools taking part in this challenge is very encouraging. We hope that it helps to develop a sense of pride and ownership in our communities. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all of the participating schools for their entry into this great initiative and wish them the best of luck with their clean-up activities.”

Pictured launching the Local Litter Challenge for Secondary Schools are :

L-R, Ella Ryan, Environmental Awareness Officer, Waterford City & County Council, Steven Reinl, Tom Murphy and John Byrne, Tom Murphy Car Sales, and Gerald Hurley, Waterford Chamber.

ENDS

By Waterford City & County Council

It’s National Fire Safety Week – test your smoke alarm

In their annual safety campaigns around Fire Safety Week, Waterford Fire Service is once again urging people to be vigilant of fire risks in their homes, with a special emphasis on testing your smoke alarm.

Fire Safety Week takes place this year from October 17th to 23rd, with the campaign focus encouraging all homes to have working smoke alarms and to test them weekly.

The annual awareness and safety campaign is jointly run with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service to enhance fire safety across the island, particularly in the home, with a campaign slogan of “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives – Have you a plan if yours goes off!”

Speaking on the importance of having proper equipment in your home, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Colin Barden said, “It is a worrying statistic that, on average, 25 people die in fires in Ireland each year. We are encouraging homeowners to act now to keep themselves and their families safe. The importance of having a plan of action, should a fire occur, cannot be overstated.”

“Householders should check that their smoke alarms are fitted properly, are working and test them regularly. We can’t rely on our sense of smell when we are asleep, in fact smoke can put you in a deeper sleep, so you are relying on an alarm to wake you.”

Tuesday October 18th has been designated “Smoke Alarm Day” with special emphasis online and on social media channels across Ireland’s local authorities.

Chief Fire Officer with Waterford Fire Service, Niall Curtin outlined how continuous changes in our living environment mean we need keep reconsidering fire safety in the home.

“Post Covid, many of us are now spending more time at home so it is more important than ever that we are informed as to the steps we can take to protect ourselves and our homes from fire. This is also true at times, such as the upcoming Halloween and Christmas celebrations, when there may be additional risks in our homes such as increased fire load with sources of ignition such as candles and temporary festive lighting.”

For maximum protection one smoke alarm per room is recommended by the Fire Service, with the exception of the bathroom, kitchen and garage.

Heat detectors can also be considered in kitchens where fumes from cooking could lead to unwanted alarm activations. For minimum protection one smoke alarm for each level/floor of your home located in the hallway and landing is necessary.

To find out about how a working smoke alarm can save your life visit www.firesafetyweek.ie or keep an eye out for the hashtags #22FSW, #STOPFIRE and #SmokeAlarmsSaveLives on social media.

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