Local Authority News Vol.33 No.4

LAN LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

6TH JULY 2014

Vol 33 No 4 2014

• I R I S H W A T E R P R O P O S E S T O I N V E S T €1 . 7 7 B I L L I O N T O D E L I V E R U R G E N T LY R E Q U I R E D I M P R O V E M E N T S T O W AT E R S E R V I C E S THROUGHOUT IRELAND • €1 M S T A T E O F T H E A R T N E W L I B R A R Y A N D A R T S S T U D I O S O F F I C I A L LY O P E N E D I N C A P PA M O R E , L I M E R I C K • €1 0 M I L L I O N I N V E S T M E N T I N G R E E N W AY S – M I N I S T E R A L A N K E L LY

Website: www.localauthoritynews.ie

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CONTENTS VOL. 33. No.4

FEATURES

Published by:

IRISH WATER PROPOSES TO INVEST €1.77 BILLION TO DELIVER URGENTLY REQUIRED IMPROVEMENTS TO WATER SERVICES THROUGHOUT IRELAND 3

GILTRON LTD RIVERVIEW LODGE, DUBLIN ROAD,

97% OF IRISH BATHING WATERS MEET EU STANDARDS 5

NAVAN, CO. MEATH. Tel: 00353 46 9072841 Email: info@localauthoritynews.ie Website: www.localauthoritynews.ie

€1M STATE OF THE ART NEW LIBRARY AND ARTS STUDIOS OFFICIALLY OPENED IN CAPPAMORE, LIMERICK 7

Designed & produced by Donnelly Design & Print Ltd.

ISSN NO. 1393-0394 LAN is available FREE OF CHARGE to all Local and Central Government Bodies throughout Ireland.

Published bi-monthly it is disseminated to Local Authority Managers, Assistant Managers, County Secretaries, Finance Officers, Principal Officers, Department Heads, County Engineers, City Engineers, Chief Quantity Surveyors, Senior Architects, Plant Superintendents, Senior Executive Engineers, Town Clerks, Purchasing Officers, Administrative Officers, Inspectors, Park Superintendents, County Librarians, etc. in all Government Departments, County Councils, Corporations, Office of Public Works, Urban District Councils, StateSponsored and Development Bodies and Agencies.

€10 MILLION INVESTMENT IN GREENWAYS – MINISTER ALAN KELLY

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6TH JULY 2014

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REGULARS DEPARTMENT BREIFS

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PRODUCT INFORMATION

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CLASSIFIEDS LAN LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

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Irish Water proposes to invest €1.77 billion to deliver urgently required improvements to water services throughout Ireland Irish Water priorities for delivery under the Capital Investment Plan include;

rish Water has published its Proposed Capital Investment Plan for 2014 to 2016. Investment is prioritised where it can deliver the most urgently needed improvements in drinking water quality, leakage, water availability, wastewater compliance, efficiencies and customer service. It is proposed to deliver/progress over 380 projects under the Plan which has been submitted to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) for consideration.

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1. Eliminating Boil Water Notices in Roscommon 2. Providing more water and in particular reducing disruption to supply in the Dublin area 3. Improving Water Quality 4. Investing for economic development 5. Tackling leakage 6. Increasing wastewater treatment capacity and improving environmental compliance 7. Better Control and Monitoring 8. Improving existing plants John Tierney, Managing Director of Irish Water, commented, “Our approach to capital investment will ensure that we deliver improvements where they are needed most. The Plan sets out the programme of water and waste water projects that we believe are urgently required to improve the service to our customers. A number of the projects in the Capital Investment Plan have already commenced. However Irish Water is introducing a new approach involving comprehensive asset management. We will look at every opportunity to extend the life of an asset where we can improve performance and at the same time reduce the level of major capital investment – thereby providing better value for the customer and ensuring we can deliver more with limited resources.”

Irish Water estimates that €1.77 billion will be required to deliver on the objectives of the 20142016 Capital Investment Plan (CIP). The current indicative funding available to Irish Water is €1.2bn which includes the additional €200m announced by the Government last week. This brings funding up from current levels of €310m in 2014 to €410m in 2015 and 2016.

Some examples of the types of improvement the Irish Water Capital Investment Plan will deliver include:

The Plan involves a rolling programme so should there be a funding shortfall it can roll over into 2017 but every effort will be made to reduce the gap by avoiding/reducing cost through its asset management approach and by seeking to raise additional funding.

1. Eliminating Boil Water Notices in Roscommon: Irish Water is prioritising drinking water quality and aims to lift the majority of all long-term Boil Water Notices in Roscommon in early 2015.

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5. Tackling Leaks Irish Water is proposing to spend €150 million to accelerate leakage reduction and is moving to a much more proactive approach on leakage, with the long-term objective of reducing public and customer side leakage nationally by 50%. €51 million will be available as a result of the Government announcement last week to assist home owners to fix leaks which may occur on their own property. This is estimated to yield a saving of 40 million litres of water every day which can be put to more productive use in the system.

6. Improvement in Wastewater Treatment Irish Water will significantly improve wastewater compliance for an estimated 400,000 population equivalent (as identified by the EPA in theirʻFocus on Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2010ʼ as having inadequate or no waste water treatment).

2. Provision of more water and reducing disruption to supply in the Dublin area By investing in the completion of the work to existing treatment plants at Ballymore Eustace and Leixlip, an extra 60 million litres of water a day will be supplied to Dublin – the equivalent of a new treatment plant. Irish Water will also increase the interconnectivity between Ballymore Eustace and Leixlip, thereby minimising future water disruptions to the Greater Dublin Area by allowing homes and businesses access to more than one source of water.

Irish Water is also progressing the upgrade of the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant as an urgent priority. This will provide additional wastewater treatment capacity to enable ongoing development and employment creation in the Dublin Region. It will support the on-going investment in water quality improvement in the Lower Liffey Estuary and Dublin Bay. An alternative project strategy developed by Irish Water in conjunction with Dublin City Council is expected to result in capital cost savings in the order of €170 million.

3. Improving Water Quality A number of schemes which have inadequate water treatment systems are being delivered/progressed in order to ensure they meet water quality standards e.g. Letterkenny in Donegal, Kerry Central and Burncourt/Fethard in Tipperary.

7. Better Control and Monitoring Irish Water will focus on reducing the running costs of providing water services. The company will invest in a modern telemetry system to ensure that adequate control, monitoring and alarm systems are in place to allow for early detection of any issues and to target where key investment is needed. By the end of 2016, Irish Water will have the core systems in place to monitor water and wastewater systems serving approximately 80% of the population.

4. Investing for Economic Development Additional water supplies will facilitate industrial, commercial and housing developments – developments which may have been delayed in recent times due to restricted water and wastewater services infrastructure. For example – the investment proposed by Irish Water to supply water and wastewater infrastructure for the Docklands Strategic Development Zone in Dublin will be critical to facilitate the creation of 30,000 jobs in this area.

8. Improve Existing Plants Irish Water will invest over €100 million in muchneeded targeted upgrades to plants around the country to improve performance, environmental compliance, health & safety and energy efficiency.

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Martins Construction Ltd Building & Civil Engineering Contractors Please to be associated with Limerick City and County Council as main Contractor for the Cappamore Library & Arts Studio, Cappamore, Co Limerick

• Residential • Industrial • Healthcare

• Domestic • Commercial • Pharmaceutical Sector

Martins Construction Ltd Ballycarroll, Barefield Ennis, Co Clare.

T: 065 6868884 / F: 065 6829822 E: info@martinsconstruction.ie W: www.martinsconstruction.ie

Street Furniture Since our beginning in 1987 Street and Park Furniture has been an integral part of our product range which includes the following:

• Bollards - Decorative (cast iron/steel) rail and chain posts, tree guards, tree grids.

• Traffic Bollards - Illuminated/reflective manufactured from steel/plastic with rigid or flexible sheels.

• Litter Bins - Post/wall fixing, free standing, ground fixing. • • Steel, plastic, concrete, fibreglass, fibreglass composite.

• Cycle Holders/Shelters - 'Parkit' and 'Odoni' ranges.

• Galvanised, powder coated finishes.

• Pedestrian Guardrails Galvanised steel, various designs.

• Security/Car Park Reservation Posts - 'Autopa' removable, folddown and telescopic security posts.

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€1M STATE OF THE ART NEW LIBRARY AND ARTS STUDIOS OFFICIALLY OPENED IN CAPPAMORE, LIMERICK inister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD, has officially opened a state of the art new €1m Library and Art Studios complex for Cappamore –the first library in Limerick to be 100% self service.

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The Minister was joined by Cathaoirleach John Sheehan and Limerick City and County Manager, Conn Murray, to launch the new Library and Arts Studios which will pilot a range of new technology initiatives, some of which have never been used in Ireland before.

The new Library and Arts studios will also support Cappamoreʼs designation as an age friendly town and offer a range of quality programming for vibrant senior citizens.

Highlights of the new Complex include: • It is the first library in Limerick to be 100% self service. All transactions, including, registrations, borrowing and returning stock, making requests, checking the catalogue, can all be performed online by the public, either on the premises or online from home.

table PCs offering an exciting suite of programmes and apps for all ages.

• The new library will also offer those in the new Cappamore-Kilmallock municipal district access to a range of Council Services by utilising cutting edge touch screen technology as a point of access.

• It will make available to the public the ʻSolas Systemʼ which is the first of its kind in Ireland and includes touch screen LAN LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

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Speaking at the launch, Cathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council, John Sheahan praised the positive contribution of a number of key agencies to deliver the Library leading to a €1m investment in the Limerick economy.

“In total over €700,000 in grant aid was made available from Government, Ballyhoura Developments Ltd and the

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Bermingham, King & Associates Chartered Quantity Surveyors CONSTRUCTION COST MANAGEMENT VALUATIONS FOR FIRE INSURANCE PROPERTY SURVEYS AND REPORTS

5, Upper Hartstonge Street, Limerick.

Telephone: 061 - 314684.

Fax: 061 - 314624.

Mobile: 087 - 2067984.

E-mail: brendanbermingham@eircom.net

Bermingham, King & Associates, Chartered Quantity Surveyors, are proud to have been involved with this Cappamore library project, a very conscience Client and a hard working Project Team.

Bermingham, King & Associates pride themselves in Client care through the provision of an excellent quality of service within agreed programmes and budgets. The people of Bermingham, King & Associates, through their commitment, capability and diplomacy, are the key to the firmʼs success in achieving a high level of client care and repeat business and are focused on continuous development. Some Clients who have used our services on more than one occasion are as follows: HSE – West, Limerick County Council, North Tipperary County Council, Nenagh Town Council, Office of Public Works, Nenagh Co-op Creamery, Shannon Free Airport Development Co., Co. Limerick VEC, Clare VEC, Monaghan VEC, Kelmount Properties Ltd, Omniplex Holdings Ltd, Department of Education, Aer Rianta, Shannon Aircraft Motor Works. Being a relatively small practice provides the Client with a higher level of service as the project director / senior personnel will have an intimate knowledge of each project. The firm has over 30 yearsʼ extensive experience on many different projects.

VALE OF HONEY FLOORING

Castle Contracting

• Premises Fit-Outs • Premises Upgrades • Renovations • Project Management

are pleased to be associated with the Cappamore library for Limerick City and County Council

• Company Relocations • Refurbishments • Building Restorations • Maintenance of Premises

Castle Contracting Ltd., 9G Racecourse Business Park, Parkmore, Galway Tel: 091 771823 / Fax: 091 771827 email: info@castlecontractings.ie www.castlecontracting.ie

Contact: 25 St. Patricks Tce, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary Tel : 0526127207

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Local Community Council with the balance of €300,000 being provided by the local authority from its own resources,” he said. “The completion of this building today proves when we work together in partnership it is to the mutual benefit of all. I believe that the spirit of positive co-operation that has been achieved so much in Cappamore today will serve as a catalyst for the new Limerick Authority.”

Also speaking at the launch, Limerick City and County Council Manager, Conn Murray, said the official opening of the new €1m building is a milestone in the Councilʼs mission to make its frontline services more accessible to the public.

“This project is a key element in our City of Culture programme and the Library and Arts Services are our longest and best used cultural facilities,” he said. “We have used the opening of the project to pilot a range of new initiatives and the valuable Arts Studio spaces will support artistic vibrancy in the rural community while providing vital support to artists in developing their careers. This will serve as a legacy project from the City of Culture programme in the years ahead and I would like to pay tribute to the elected members who have put the Council and the citizens of Limerick at the leading edge of progress, the fruits of their pride and vision are obvious today.”

The design of the new Library and Arts Studios placed sustainability and environmentally friendly installations at its core. The building is heated by a biomass boiler burner unit incorporating recyclable wood shavings as a fuel source and the overall building design is orientated to maximise solar heat and reduce heat loss.

Extensive external cladding was fitted to the outside of the former school house to increase thermal efficiency and where possible, many existing materials were reused.

The Architects on the project were Michael Healy& Partners and the building was constructed by Martins Construction Ltd. After a tour of the new building, Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, TD said Limerick was ʻleading the wayʼ with the amalgamation of the two library services as part of the creation of the new single Authority – Limerick City and County Council.

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“I was very pleased to see on my tour of the building today, how this new library and arts facility has implemented the new National Library Policy,” he said. “I have seen a comprehensive range of bookstock supporting jobseekers, entrepreneurs and life long learning. I have heard about a partnership between the local historical committee and the library service in making available the history of the area. I have also seen cutting edge technology, harnessed to deliver quality information services to the public.

The new suite of arts studios represents a very positive investment in arts infrastructure during our year as City of Culture. I am also pleased that this Government was able to provide Library Capital funding of €554,000 for this most deserving project. From the evidence today, it is clearly a very sound investment.”

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97% of Irish bathing waters meet EU standards normal good quality. Our projections show that almost 90 per cent of Irelandʼs designated bathing waters should meet the new ʻexcellentʼ or ʻgoodʼ water quality standards which will come into force from this year.”

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Irelandʼs bathing waters continue to be of a very high standard, with 97 per cent of designated bathing areas meeting the minimum EU qualifying standard.

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The EPA currently monitors 135 locations nominated by local authorities – these are the most popular bathing waters. The EPA would like to see more locations in the programme.

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84.4 per cent of bathing waters (114 of 135) were classified as being of ʻgoodʼ status - compared to just 67 per cent (91 of 136) in 2012. This reflects both the unusually wet summer in 2012 and the good summer in 2013.

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Just 4 bathing waters (1 inland and 3 coastal) failed to comply with the minimum mandatory standards and were classified as being of ʻpoorʼ quality status.

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Peter Webster, EPA Senior Scientific Officer said:

From 2014 new stricter EU standards will come into force and there will be a new category of ʻexcellentʼ water quality. EPA projections suggest that under the new standards approximately 90 per cent of identified bathing sites are likely to be classified as either ʻexcellentʼ or ʼgoodʼ.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today launched the report The Quality of Bathing Water in Ireland – An Overview for the Year 2013.

Commenting on the bathing water quality results, Dr Matthew Crowe, Director of the EPAʼs Office of Environmental Assessment, said, “Irish bathing waters continue to be among the best in northern Europe. By contrast to the 2012 bathing season, the warm dry conditions last year meant that many waters returned to their

“Ireland has many lovely beaches and while monitoring them all would be costly the EPA would like to see an increase in the numbers of designated bathing areas; currently 135 are designated. However, a further 32 bathing areas are being monitored by local authorities for community based eco-tourism schemes. These are of a very high standard, and could be formally proposed for inclusion in the national programme.”

2013 Report Findings Bathing water was monitored throughout the 2013 bathing season for two microbiological parameters, E.Coli and Intestinal Enterococci.

The results of the analysed samples were assessed for compliance with EU standards: the minimum quality standard (EU Mandatory values) and the more stringent quality standard (EU Guide values).

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THE NEW AND EXCITING LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS WEBSITE ENVIRONMENT

COMMUNITY

LIBRARIES

WATER

ROADS

HOUSING

POSITIVE COVERAGE OF POSITIVE ACHIEVEMENTS VISIT

WWW.LOCALAUTHORITYNEWS.IE or EMAIL US YOUR PROJECT OR INITIATIVE TO

info@localauthoritynews.ie LAN LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

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The key findings from this assessment were that:

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In 2013, 97% of bathing areas (131 of the 135 bathing areas) complied with the EU mandatory standards and were classified as achieving at least ʻsufficientʼ water quality status – similar to the 2012 bathing season.

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The proportion of bathing areas that complied with the much stricter EU guideline standards indicating ʻgoodʼ water quality status was up at 84.4% (114 of 135) compared to just 66.9% (91of 136) in 2012.

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Of the eighteen Local Authorities who have designated bathing areas, six achieved ʻgoodʼ water quality status for all of their identified bathing waters. These were: Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Meath, Clare, Kerry, Donegal, and Louth. These account for 38.5% (52 of 135) of all

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Four of the 135 bathing waters (3%) failed to comply with the minimum mandatory standards, indicating ʻpoorʼ bathing water quality status. These were Clifden Beach (Galway), Lilliput (Lough Ennell, Co. Westmeath), Dugort (Achill, Co. Mayo) and Ballyloughane (Galway City).

In the case of Clifden, a program of remedial works for the nearby wastewater treatment plant has commenced but is unlikely to bring about significant improvements in water quality ahead of the 2016 bathing season. Lilliput encountered a lengthy period of contamination late on in the season which is believed to have originated from a waste water source. Dugort was affected by a rare pumping station malfunction, while at Ballyloughane two pollution events were recorded. These were both linked to heavy rainfall and on one occasion the mandatory standard for E.Coli was exceeded automatically causing the water to be classified as poor.

Throughout the 2014 bathing season, up-todate bathing water quality information and notifications of any incidents affecting bathing waters will be displayed on the Splash website at splash.epa.ie. The site also gives information on the compliance history of each bathing area, details of blue flag status, bathing safety, weather and tidal information, along with aerial photography.

The summary report The Quality of Bathing Water in Ireland – An Overview for the Year 2013 and map of the quality of Irelandʼs bathing water sites, are now available on the website

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Richard Webb, our inspector in Ireland, has now retired from carrying out inspections.

He will continue until the end of 2014 to provide RPII playground inspection training only.

We are pleased to tell you that the RoSPA playground inspection service will be continuing through RoSPAʼs Irish based inspector Mr. Mike Foley. Mike has a long experience of installing playgrounds and he is a registered annual inspector with the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) (www.playinspectors.com).

Mike will be able to undertake annual and post‐installation inspections of playgrounds, skateparks, multi-‐use games areas and adult exercise areas,as well as carrying out whole park safety audits, disability audits and play value assessments. Mike, through Elite Playground Services Ltd, will be the only person

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in the Republic of Ireland who is authorised by RoSPA to carry out their inspections in Ireland and he is insured by them to do so. The playground inspection service will now be administered from the RoSPA/Playsafety UK office based at The Old Barn, Wicklesham, Faringdon, Oxfordshire, SN7 7PN, Tel: 00 44 1367 244600; www.rospaplaysafety.co.uk and email info@rospaplaysafety.co.uk.

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Bennettsbridge involved much discussion of ideas, and a truly integrated approach.

Each of these playgrounds has been much appreciated, and we hope enjoyed by those who matter most in all of this – the children!

ʻPartnership in Playʼ Allplay Ireland Limited was founded in 1996 Based in Ballynahinch Co. Down, the business has grown and flourished, and we are pleased to say is now truly ʻall Irelandʼ, and sometimes further afield.

Our aim is to assist in the creation of great playspaces.

All our clients look for quality of equipment, quality of design and a sensible but fun layout, often incorporating the standing features of the landscape.

Alongside this we endeavour to make each playspace unique to the history and ʻstoriesʼ of the area.

We are conscious throughout that this is our clientsʼ playground – often long anticipated, thought about and fundraised for a considerable time before the tender is issued. This matters greatly to a community.

We enjoy making playgrounds happen! And are pleased to engage in the process at whatever stage we are invited to help.

Our playgrounds including Stradbally, Ballylinan and

This is often a partnership – we know the high standards required for safety and design in public play but our clients know their area and importantly what they want to achieve by providing a playground.

The priority may be social interaction / cohesion, inclusivity, physical training or primarily fun with a sense of adventure.

There is a phrase around at the moment – “Better Together”(!) This is our approach to delivering high quality, innovative unique playspaces.

Contact us at ……

Allplay 12 Crabtree Rd, Ballynahinch, BT24 8RH T. +44 (0) 28 9756 5129 F. +44 (0) 28 9756 1915 E. info@all-play.com W. www.all-play.com

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SILVABUILD is a newly established business offering unique playground, play-structures and outdoor structures that enhance and deliver a unique experience to any setting. e began our journey from a voluntary initiative through creating a natural and sensory playground which we delivered to the Sundays Well Boys National School in Cork. The incredible positive response and feedback from our voluntary work was the basis for our formation of our business identifying a need for unique natural play settings for children in public/private spaces.

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We customize and tailor our service to identify your needs and work to your budget large or small. We provide on-going one to one consultation and 3D drawings to ensure visual clarity of our proposals.

Our vision is to expand the dimensions of play spaces into play-scapes not currently afforded for children in Ireland. Our promise is to deliver unsurpassed designs that are both functional, creative and where safety is paramount in the design and build. All our work is Rospa Safety Certified.

Our work has featured in the Irish Examiner and TG4 to date which is propelling our work to schools and public spaces.

Our ethos is to use local sourced timber and materials where possible, messaging sustainability and resourcefulness in our work. We are tapping into the global play-scapes movement that is changing the understanding of how play areas and public spaces can provide a better play experience whilst working in harmony with their environment.

We encourage an inclusive design process, whether it is re-vamping your playground with one off play structures, or complete playground offerings. We also offer and can tailor a suite of products for public spaces, parks, trails and more.

SILVABUILD design and create natural play areas and timber structures that inspire.

We welcome any interested parties who would like to experience and visit our work to call Derek or Adi 0879567445. email@silvabuild.ie / www.silvabuild.ie

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ulti-use games areas, or MUGAs, are becoming increasingly popular all over Ireland; offering all weather sports facilities with a synthetic surface that can accommodate a wide variety of sports and games.

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Choosing a multi use games area for your facility means that you can provide year round usage and the option to offer a wider range of sports and extracurricular activities. Soccer, basketball, netball, tennis, hurling and volleyball are among a wide range of games that can be played on a MUGA. Creative Play Solutions have installed numerous MUGAs all over Ireland and we have installed Irelands first covered Multisports MUGA in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo.

Just because it's raining or windy, there's no need to sit around watching the clouds go by! Hussons

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Color始ado Multisports covered MUGA allows for collective sports and healthy exercise 365 days a year.

It gives the advantage of the open air without the drawbacks as the special Color'ado Multisports cover will generate optimism on rainy days, energy on sunny days and the translucent cover provides natural light and ventilation.

Mincloon, Rahoon, Galway E-mail: sales@creativeplay.ie Telephone: +353 (0) 91 525 709 Fax: +353 (0) 91 525 710

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€10 MILLION INVESTMENT IN GREENWAYS – MINISTER ALAN KELLY Athlone and Mullingar to be connected by bike with greenway developed on old rail line bring an estimated 80 jobs to the region Public Transport Minister, Alan Kelly, has announced details of a €10 million investment package to develop greenways and cycling routes across the country.

The funding will see the construction of a number of on and off-road cycling routes designed to facilitate commuters and attract cycling tourists to the country.

About 80 direct jobs will be created and many more indirectly.

The centre-piece of the funding will be a €4million world-class greenway running over forty kilometres between the towns of Athlone and Mullingar. The route will run along a disused railway corridor that was previously a branch of the old Midlands Great Western Railway.

The route will form a key part of a long-term vision to develop a continuous off-road greenway from Dublin to Galway. It will result in approximately forty local construction jobs and will help retain or create an additional forty jobs.

Announcing the news, Minister Alan Kelly said: “Ireland can become one of the worldʼs greatest countries for cycling tourism. Developments like the Athlone-Mullingar Greenway will help attract tourists from all over the world. Between construction and increased tourism activity along the route – we estimate about an additional eighty jobs will come to the local economy. Two of Irelandʼs key midland towns will be connected by bike for the first time and it is a terrific way to utilise old railway corridors,” The Athlone-Mullingar greenway will start at Garrycastle and pass through scenic landscape via Moate, Streamstown, Castletown and onto Grange south in Mullingar where it will link with the recently constructed Royal Canal greenway which extends to the Meath/Westmeath border.

It forms part of a €10 million national package for greenway development announced as part of a €200 million national infrastructure package. This funding will go towards other cycling developments linking Clonmel with Carrick-on-Suir, Glenbeigh to Reenard Point in Kerry and phase one of the West Clare Greenway going from Ennis to Ballymaquiggan.

There will also be an allocation to develop a cycling link between the town of Boyle and Lough Key Forest park in Roscommon.

“A €10 million investment programme demonstrates the commitment of Government to cycling infrastructure and greenway development. Cycling tourism is big business globally and we have seen the positive impact that the Mayo greenway has had on the local economy. It stimulates economic activity, much of which is in rural areas. Ireland is swiftly becoming a cycling nation and we are promoting this strongly as a Government,” Details of projects: Westmeath - Athlone to Mullingar €4million 40km section of the proposed 277km Galway to Dublin Greenway. The project will commence at Garrycastle, Athlone and run along the disused railway corridor through scenic landscapes passing Moate, Streamstown and Castletown and onto Grange South in Mullingar where it links onto the recently constructed greenway along the Royal Canal from Westmeath to the Meath border. This proposal links with proposals submitted by Meath and Kildare Co Councils for the Meath border to Maynooth section of the Dublin to Galway Greenway.

Waterford – Kilmeaden to Bilberry - €1,100,000 9.6Kilometres Proposal is for an off road greenway from Kilmeaden to Bilberry which forms part of the overall Dungarvan to Waterford City 41km off road greenway on a disused railway corridor up to the Suir Valley. The proposed section predominantly follows along the significant and valuable scenic River Suir. Other places of interest are the ruin of Kilmeaden Castle;

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the house and gardens of Mount Congreve, the archaeological treasure at Woodstown and modern skyline capturing cable stay bridge on the new Waterford Bypass.

Kerry - Cahersiveen to Reenard Point Fertha Greenway – €450,000 Cahersiveen-Reenard Point (5.75km) also known as the Fertha Greenway. This section will link the population centres of Cahersiveen and Valentia Island where a ferry link between the mainland at Reenard Point and Valentia Island (Knightstown) exists creating an innovative loop involving the Fertha Greenway and the Valentia and Cahersiveen Marinas Tipperary – Clonmel to Carrick-on-Suir - €1,900,000 The construction of 20 Kilometre a greenway along the existing River Suir towpath. The greenway would connect the towns of Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir West Clare Greenway – Phase 1 EnnisBallymacquiggan - €400,000.

Rock Street ,Tralee, Kildare - Arthurs Way –€311,000 Leixlip to Oughterard via Celbridge/Castletown. Arthur's Way is the name of a linear walking heritage trail which link Leixlip, Celbridge and Oughterard - places closely associated with Arthur Guinness. This project is for a standalone cycle trail to complement the walking trail.

The route will traverse parklands (5km); quiet local locals (9.1km); and canal towpaths (6.6km). Mixture of both on and off road over 25 Kilometres.

Patrickswell to Limerick City - €420,000 The proposal will connect the satellite village of Patrickswell with the Raheen/Dooradoyle Southern Environs of Limerick City. The majority of the route (4.14km) lies between two roundabouts, namely Raheen Roundabout and Patrickswell Roundabout at the eastern end of Patrickswell village. The proposal will create connectivity between the existing cycle routes, It will also connect Patrickswell to Limerick, the Raheen Ind Estate, the Regional Hospital, the Crescent Centre at Dooradoyle and to a number of large housing estates in the Southern environs.

Boyle to Lough Key Forest Park - €400,000 Funding is being provided to provide a cycle link between Lough Key Forest Park and the town of Boyle, Westmeath - Coolnahay to Co. Boundary.

The project proposes an approx 5km link between Ennis Town Centre and Ballymaquiggan, a towland in the environs of Ennis. The route proposed will establish an important link on the NCN and start progress towards the Atlantic coast with the aim of connecting Ennis and Lahinch.

Monasteries of the Moy - €250,000.

Proposal will commence the development of a 14km off road walking and cycling greenway between Ballina and Killala towns. The greenway will pass the rich ecclesiastical Monasteries of the Moy and along the North Mayo Coast which offers some of the most spectacular views in Ireland. The proposed greenway would provide a high quality facility and would be multifunctional serving daily school and work travel needs, local recreational and cycling visitors. This allocation is for seed funding and not for full construction.

This project could see the development of a 14.4km cycleway along the Royal Canal Tow Path from Coolnahay Harbour, via Ballynacarrigy Village to the Longford Boundary. If delivered this would complete the upgrading of the full 46 km length of Royal Canal towpath through County Westmeath. The estimated total cost of delivering the project is €900k and would take 6 months to deliver.

Kerry Tralee – Fenit phase 1 Rock Street to Casement Station, Tralee €345,000 420m amenity cycleway and walkway along the old railway line between Casement Railway Station to

For further information contact Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport on 01 -6041087/1090 or Jim McGrath on 087-2558866

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Housing Minister approves €46 million for housing projects for homeless persons and people with special needs €29m in funding will support new Homelessness Implementation Plan Minister for Housing and Planning, Ms. Jan OʼSullivan,announced a capital investment totalling over €46m for a range of housing projects which will provide a total of 416 units of accommodation for people with special housing needs including the elderly, persons with an intellectual or physical disability and homeless persons. The selection of projects now being advanced is based on the priority afforded by the local authority following a ʻCall for Proposalsʼ to approved housing bodies.

Yesterday, the Government approved the Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessness. Minister OʼSullivan said, "The Government is fully committed to addressing the crisis of homelessness and I am pleased to announce a programme of works that will form part of the response to dealing with this growing problem. Approved housing bodies play a key role in the delivery of housing and related supports for homeless persons and other vulnerable groups such as older people and people with disabilities” Of the €46 million being announced today some €19 million has been ring-fenced for the delivery of

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187 units to be acquired or constructed in the local authority areas across the country to specifically accommodate persons and families who are homeless.

“These 163 new permanent housing units are intended, in the main, to provide accommodation for people with special needs including older people and people with a disability. Special needs housing must be lifetime adaptable to cater for tenants at all stages of the lifecycle and, in some instances, must be customised to meet particular needs” the Minister said. “Accordingly, 15 of the 34 projects being advanced are new build with 19 projects acquiring existing housing stock in cases where it is fit-for-purpose and more cost-effective than new build.”

As a result of a special initiative, €10m is also being provided for the acquisition of 66 units by approved housing bodies to address the homeless problem specifically presenting in the Dublin City area. Minister OʼSullivan said ʻThis initiative will have an immediate effect in Dublin City which has the greatest number of people currently experiencing homelessness. The funding of over €10 million is being made available under CAS to approved housing bodies which have identified specific properties that will be acquired in a short timeframe” The balance of the €46million, around €16.7 million will fund the delivery of 163 units to accommodate persons with a disability and older persons in various locations around the country.

The Minister concluded “I am particularly pleased to be able to provide €46 million in capital funding at this time to meet this need and provide over 416 households with quality accommodation that is safe, secure and appropriate to their requirements Approved housing bodies, in partnership with the local authorities, will now progress these projects”

Hogan approves local authorities’ plans under the Public Area Enhancement Scheme Welcoming the latest report from InterGovernmental The Minister for Environment, Community, and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan T.D., approved projects worth a total of €2.975m across the country.

The projects were proposed by local authorities for funding under the Public Area Enhancement Scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to allow local authorities, in cooperation with community groups, to undertake public area enhancement work before and during the busy tourist season.

The Minister announced the scheme in March and having now received specific proposals from local authorities, is delighted to be in a position to approve them.

The Minister noted the wide variety of intended projects and said, "I am particularly pleased that almost all local authority plans include support for the important work of Tidy Towns committees who do so much good work in their communities." Other projects proposed include works to derelict buildings, old graveyards, public walkways, village and historical site signage, tree planting, street furniture and the provision of playgrounds.

The Minister noted that all these projects would make a very big impact in improving the public areas for local communities and visitors alike. He concluded by wishing them all well with their important work over the summer and looked forward to seeing the results from the implementation of the huge range of projects that will be carried out across the country.

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Hogan Announces €20m funding for Pyrite ʻThe Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan T.D, announced that the Government has approved further Exchequer funding for the pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented under the auspices of the Pyrite Resolution Board (PRB). This brings to €20m the amount of funding available to date.

application process. Todayʼs additional funding therefore will ensure that the scheme is significantly funded into 2015. The PRB, with support from the Housing Agency, will implement the remediation programme in line with the scheme outlined on the Boardʼs website (see www.pyriteboard.ie).

The Minister added, “Solid progress for affected homeowners, in terms of applications being processed and remediation works commenced has been achieved. The online application process was launched on 26th February 2014 and can be accessed by applicants on the Boardʼs website www.pyriteboard.ie.”

The scheme will be reviewed on an on-going basis and any post-2015 funding requirement will be dealt with, having regard to developments over the next 18 months. While it is difficult at predict with any degree of certainty, the indications at this stage are that the number of dwellings requiring remediation may not be as great as previously thought.

“I have stated before that it would not have been reasonable or defensible that affected homeowners, who have no viable option for redress, would be left without a resolution, said Minister Hogan. “My officials and I have worked during the past year to put in place an alternative funding model for the pyrite remediation scheme.

While this has not been an easy task having regard to budgetary constraints in the current climate, I am pleased to announce that the Government which initially approved €10 million to kick start the scheme, has now added as promised, additional funding to be allocated over the next two years from the Capital Stimulus Programme.”

While the PRB estimates that there are approximately 1,000 dwellings affected by significant pyritic heave and requiring immediate remediation, a total of 418 completed applications have been received by the PRB as at the middle of last month and a further 146 individuals are at various stages of the

“The case management system has been developed for tracking and storing documents related to the remediation scheme and applicants are able to track progress on their application and the remediation works to their dwelling.”

In addition, the Minister said that a freephone number (1890 252 842) has been provided to answer any queries regarding the scheme and to provide assistance with completion of the application form and uploading of documents.

The Minister concluded: “I am acutely aware of the long wait that many affected homeowners have had to endure in waiting for solutions to the pyrite problems in their homes. It has not been an easy time for those people and I understand how stressful such situations can be but I want to assure those homeowners that it has always been and, will continue to be, a high priority for me to bring about a final resolution to this problem as quickly as possible. I am pleased to acknowledge that solid and meaningful progress has and continues to be made in the resolution of this most serious problem.”

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Minister Hogan announces €250 million LEADER funding under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government announced a funding package of €250 million for the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

Minister Hogan said: “I am pleased to announce that the overall funding package for the next LEADER Programme will be €250 million. While the EU Regulations stipulate that a minimum of 5% of the Rural Development Programme is allocated to LEADER, Ireland has decided to increase its proportion to 7%. This confirms this Governmentʼs firm commitment to the economic development of rural areas.”

The Minister is pursuing an enhanced alignment between local government and local development which is now underpinned in the new Local Government Reform Act 2014. The aim of this work is to bring about greater coordination and targeting of scarce resources, reduce duplication and provide a more efficient and cost effective delivery of local services. The Minister emphasised: “It is absolutely critical that greater efficiencies and operational savings are achieved in the delivery of the new Programme, so that we minimise administration costs and maximise the funding available to support projects and local communities.”

Preparatory work for the development of the new Programme is well underway, including the report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) launched last month by the Taoiseach. The report identified a range of areas of particular need that could be supported through LEADER interventions.

These include economic development and job creation, rural tourism, enhanced national communication initiatives to improve broadband and building community capacity, training and animation.

The Programme will facilitate a community led approach and will outline a number of themes for support that have emerged from the consultation process and from the research conducted CEDRA. As outlined above these themes will include, Rural Economic Development / Enterprise Development and Job Creation including Rural Tourism, general Enterprise Development, Broadband and support for the development of Rural Towns and social inclusion through building community capacity, training and animation and support for the Environment in rural areas.

The new Programme is currently being prepared for submission to the European Commission for approval. Following approval, the Department will in the second half of the year invite Local Action Groups, set up in accordance with the EU Regulations and comprising representatives of public and private local socio-economic interests, to submit Local Development Strategies.

Following selection of the Local Development Strategies, it is intended that the new Programme will commence in early 2015.

Minister Hogan concluded “I am confident that this funding will build on the momentum of the previous LEADER Programmes and will invigorate rural areas, supporting sustainable employment and creating opportunities for local communities”.

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Hogan welcomes the most radical reform of local government in over 100 years r Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, announced the implementation of a range of reform to the local government system in Ireland.

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1st June 2014, marks the most far-reaching change in structures, functions, operational arrangements and governance in the Irish local government system since the current system came into being 115 years ago in 1899. The changes that are being made are radical, but they are necessary to bring our local government system up to date and to provide the kind of service our citizens and communities deserve” the Minister said. The Action Programme for Effective Local Government, published in October 2012, and the Local Government Reform Act 2014 set out a realistic, measured, pathway towards an even wider role for local government in the future. The streamlined structures, more sustainable funding base, and more efficient operational arrangements that are being implemented make this a realistic objective, which will be further underpinned by more effective governance arrangements and a more responsible leadership and oversight role for the elected councils.

“Of the many reforms that will come into effect on 1 June, the major structural reforms will be the most radical and visible”, Hogan said. “From tomorrow the number of local authorities will reduce from 114 to 31, involving the merger of Limerick city and county councils, Waterford city and county councils and North and South Tipperary county councils, as well as the dissolution of the 80 town councils and other subsidiary bodies. The 2014 local elections see 949 councillors elected across the country to the new structures, down from 1,627 outgoing councillors”, he added. “These changes will eliminate duplication by ensuring more streamlined structures and the resources that were previously absorbed by these structures and processes will now be freed-up to improve front-line services and to enhance the quality of life in local communities”, Hogan said.

The replacement of the 80 town councils by municipal districts, in particular, will end a weak and unbalanced version of local democracy in which 46% of all councillors represented only 14% of the population and dealt with only 7% of local government activity. Anomalies such as residents inside town boundaries having two votes while the

environs population, much larger in some cases, was not served by the town council, will cease. “We now have a much more equitable system of representation within counties, with councillors representing and accountable to their communities at both the municipal district level and, county-wide, at council level”, Hogan pointed out.

The reformed local government system will benefit from a significant broadening of its functions. Most notably, local government has been given a wider and clearer role in economic development. One element of this role already in place is the operation of Local Enterprise Offices as “one-stop-shops” for the micro-enterprise and small business sector. In addition, local authorities will have a pro-active role in promoting economic development, focusing particularly on the strengths and opportunities in their areas and working closely with the development agencies, business and other relevant players.

In addition, local government is being given the scope to fulfil its potential on behalf of communities. The practice in recent decades of locating local and community development functions outside of local government is being redressed the work underway to better align the local government and local development sectors. This will be achieved through the establishment of Local Community Development Committees in each local authority area, to enhance strategic planning and coordination of local and community development programming and activity.

“This new arrangement will build on the strengths and resources of both the community and local development sector and the local authorities to maximise the benefits for communities across the country”, Hogan emphasised.

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New governance arrangements, also coming into effect from the first meetings of local authorities next Friday (6 June 2014), will give elected councils greater policy development powers and stronger oversight of the implementation of policy by the executive, which will be subject to more rigorous performance and reporting requirements. The position of the elected council relative to the executive is being rebalanced, including a new power for the council to approve the appointment of the chief executive, reinforcing the role of the members as the “Board of Directors” for their authority. In addition, nearly 30 additional “reserved” functions are being assigned to the elected members rather than the executive, including those in the key areas of revenue raising, economic development and the role of the municipal districts.

The new municipal districts themselves will have an important role to play within the communities they serve and municipal district membersʼ devolved powers will include matters such as local area plans, bye-laws, and programmes of works in areas such as roads and housing. These are matters that were, prior to 1 June, largely decided by the executive of the local authority, resulting in a significant enhancement of councillorsʼ powers under the reform programme.

The Minister also highlighted the role of the new councils elected on 23 May in ensuring that the reforms will bear fruit and deliver better service and quality for local communities. “The statutory powers of elected members have been expanded under the new legislation and are set out clearly in the 2014 Reform Act. However, the success of the reform programme will depend critically on the calibre of the new councils and on their capacity to utilise these powers as effectively as possible. A key element of the reform programme is therefore to ensure that councillors have the necessary training to ensure that they can fulfil their wider role. In this regard, a tailored training programme for councillors will be available for the newly elected councils” the Minister said. Induction training is being organised by the new Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) regionally for all elected members during June, and a further programme of training will be developed for implementation over the 5 year term of councillors.

“I have also brought to an end the scandal of councillors travelling to a wide range of pointless and ineffective conferences. The ceiling of €4,700 per annum per councillor for expenses for conferences, in place under the previous arrangements, is being reduced to €700 per annum. Any further expenses claims for travel to events will have to be linked to

purposeful training linked to elected membersʼ role as councillors”. Hogan announced.

Minister Hogan also placed limits on allowances that local authorities may pay to their Cathaoirligh and Mayors. “The practice of local authorities setting the amount that may be paid to the Cathaoirleach, or Mayor or Lord Mayor, without limit will cease. I am capping the amount that may be paid to the Cathaoirleach within a range of €20,000 to €50,000, depending on the size of the chamber, and setting a limit of one fifth of what is paid to the Cathaoirligh, Mayors and Lord Mayors to their deputies. This is the first time any cap has been placed on these payments, and should generate savings of at least 30% in these payments, bringing them down from €1.44m to just under €1m. I am also placing limits on what municipal district members may pay to their Chairs, with a limit of €6,000 for the generality of municipal districts, rising to no more than €18,000 for the Mayors of Waterford and Limerick Metropolitan Districts. Deputy Mayors and Leas-Chathaoirligh in local government units below the level of the main local authority will not be paid any allowance for this post. This could potentially see payments at municipal district level to Cathaoirligh and Mayors rise from the €630,000 currently paid to Cathaoirligh and Mayors, and their deputies in some cases, in the Borough and Town Councils now being abolished, to €690,000. Overall, there should be savings of at least 22%”, Minister Hogan said. He went on to stress “these are the upper limits on what may be paid – it is entirely a matter for elected members to pay less to their chairpersons, if they want to prioritise this money elsewhere”.

The Minister emphasised that the local government reforms are an essential step forward in the Governmentʼs wider reform programme and said “while 1 June 2014 is an important milestone in the delivery of key reforms in local government, it is still an early step on our journey. The shortcomings in our current system of local government have built up over a long period and it would be unrealistic to think that this situation can be turned around instantly.

Previous failed reform proposals made that very mistake. I will be introducing more reforms over the course of this year including the establishment of a National Oversight and Audit Commission for Local Government which will provide independent scrutiny of local government performance and in providing value for money for service delivery”, Hogan concluded.

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The successful new resilient seated gate valves from AVK UK. Reducing installation time by up to 40%.

Since launching the extended resilient seated gate valve range in May 2013 AVK UK has received positive feedback from our customers impressed by the benefits of 2 new products in the range – the Series 01/79 and 36/89 – benefits such as; reducing potential leak paths, reducing the need for multiple installation products and most of all, reducing installation time.

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A recent customer trial demonstrated that the speed of assembly and flexibility offered by the Series 01/79 with its integral mechanical fittings increased performance. The overall simplicity of the valve assembly was appreciated by the field operators.

For example, the support bushes took less than 30 seconds each to install and the valve was aligned and torqued up in less than two minutes per side.

Subsequent pressure tests on the main were completed successfully with full performance noted on the valve assembly.

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Why choose these AVK products?

Contractors working in the Irish and UK water industry, which has an ageing network, can encounter all kinds of complications and challenges, many of which arise from the variety of outside diameters and material of the pipes being connected to. Up until now, when replacing valves within the pipeline, the contractor has had to tackle these challenges with a traditional combination of double flange valves, flange adaptors, couplings, and other fittings. Through our progressive innovation programme, AVK is now able to offer a range of resilient seated gate valves that are specifically designed for their application.

The new AVK Series 01/79 with integral end load resistant adaptors, and the new AVK Series 36/89 with integral PE tails, have been successfully used extensively throughout Europe for many years and have now been adapted to comply with British Standard requirements.

These products have raised the levels of performance and options available to the water industry designers and installers.

The Series 01/79 for use with PE pipe has full end load resistant adaptors integral to the valve body in place of conventional flanges. This valve configuration simplifies the process of installation to allow for alignment of the PE pipes to the valve and tightening the adaptor bolts to achieve the connection. It speeds up installation with the minimum amount of equipment and also gives the customer purchase ledger efficiency savings and a reduction in the number of stock lines that are required to be held.

36/89 01/79

The Series 36/89 PE tailed valve allows direct connection to the PE pipe, eliminating any mechanical connections or flanges. The valve is supplied with options of SDR11 or SDR17 pipe tails both suitable for electro-fusion or butt fusion connection. Off-site fabrication can be adapted in conjunction with PE tees and fittings, removing the requirement to install products in difficult on site conditions. By eliminating the need for mechanical joints and with fewer connections, these valves provide the opportunity to reduce the number of potential future leak paths from the network.

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Innovation : AVK are constantly introducing new and improved products into the market – visit our website for more product news and innovations - www.avkuk.co.uk Contact us now - we would like to talk to you AVK Ireland : +353 (0) 86 0497234 AVK UK : +44 (0) 1604 601188 E mail : enquiries@avkuk.co.uk Expect solutions, not just products.

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treet & Park Equipment is proud to be an agent for Harvard Engineering, DW Windsor, Valmont Stainton, Charles Endirect Ltd (CEL), Simmonsigns, Autopa and Harrison External Display Systems. Harvard ,which is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of LED drivers and controls products for the lighting industry, recently launched a new product called Leafnut.

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This is an advanced and robust wireless control, management and reporting system for outdoor lighting which uses Wi MAC wireless CMS (Central Management System) technology to remotely monitor and control the output of each individual street light. DW Windsor is a designer and manufacture of exterior lighting and urban furniture, while CEL is also a leading manufacture of electrical equipment, principally for the street lighting industry, and has been supplying street and lighting equipment since 1978.

Valmont Stainton is a renowned manufacture of galvanized steel, aluminium, stainless steel and wood lighting columns, high masts, tramway and telecommunication poles with over 30 years experience in manufacturing for the construction and

street lighting industries. Simmonsigns supply a range of road bollards as well as sign lighting and parking management equipment.

Autopa manufactures, supplies and installs awide range of street furniture, cycle parking and related products, while Harrison External Display Systems has over 40 years experience as the number one supplier of flags and flagpoles in the UK. Street & Park Equipment entered the sports lighting market a number of years ago and has since supplied lighting systems to numerous sports pitches nationwide.

As specialists in the field, the company coordinatesall aspects of thelighting, electrical, structural and civil engineering requirements, and has built a reputation as one of Ireland始s leading sports lighting suppliers.

We specialize in GAA lighting and have supplied systems at a number of pitches around the country, Colmexplains. Back about 10 years ago, we were particularly busy as clubs were availing of capital grants to install floodlights . The grants stopped once the recession started, but we始ve noticed an increase in enquiries of late and it looks like it might take off again.

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artins Construction Ltd is a building and civil engineering company in the Mid-Western Region with its head office based in Ennis, Co Clare.

The company was established in 1995 and carries out main contracting, building & civil engineering and PSCS services in counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary, including new build, refurbishment, fitout, demolitions, enabling works and building and civil engineering contracts.

They have recently successfully completed projects in the Residential, Domestic, Industrial, Commercial, Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Sectors including projects for the Local Authorities, Government Bodies, Private Clients and International Clients. Included in these projects were a New Library for Limerick County Council, in Cappamore, Co Limerick consisting of a new Library and four separate Arts Studios with a value of €800,000, a new stand alone extension to Parteen National School, Co Clare worth €500,000 and various projects for the HSE Mid-West in particular, a conversion of a decanted ward to facilitate a 17 inpatient ward worth €500,000 in the University Hospital Limerick and an extension to Ennistymon Hospital worth €800,000. In addition they completed a €1.7million day care centre at Carrigoran House, Co. Clare.

It is evident from the repeat of business from their Clients and Design Teams, that the company has the ability to adapt to undertake technically challenging projects, and this ability has helped them attain the position they enjoy in the industry.

Over this period the Company has built up an enviable reputation.

All the projects Martins Construction Ltd carries out are quality assured and accredited to International Standard. They operate an ISO 9001: 2008 Quality Management System and an International Accredited Occupational Health and Safety Management System, ISO OHSAS 18001:20078, which has resulted in the company growing from strength to strength and which also ensures that all their projects are carried out to the highest of standards in the safest manner.

Martins Construction Ltd holds a Tax Clearance Certificate and is a member of the Construction Industry Federation, Homebond and the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland. The company is also registered with SEAI, CWPS, CIRI, NSAI, NISO, IATI and ACCA.

Company Details Martins Construction Ltd Ballycarroll, Barefield, Ennis,Co Clare.

T: 065 6868884 F: 065 6829822 E: info@martinsconstruction.ie W: www.martinsconstruction.ie LAN LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

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From Vaillant. In case you didn’t know.

For 140 years, Vaillant has been setting the standard for performance and reliability.

Radiating quality and efficiency, our ecoTEC range of combi, system and open vent boilers boasts stainless steel heat exchangers, copper seams and industry-leading electronics. Backed by generous guarantees and outstanding service support, it’s clear to see why Vaillant always delivers on its promise to think ahead.

Available throughout Ireland from

For more information call +353(0)90 6442300 email enquiries@heatmerchants.ie or visit www.vaillant.co.uk/trade

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