• Database of planting already in existence
• Would help meet climate goals

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is calling for farmers to be rewarded with carbon credits based on the level of planting on their land, rather than operating a system of penalisation.

Deputy Crowe wants to see farmers incentivised to have areas of their land planted with native trees, in an effort to help Ireland reach its climate targets, as part of the ongoing negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy.

“Speaking at the public consultation meeting relating to the CAP review in Ennis Mart, I asked Minister Charlie McConalogue to ensure that, as negotiations on CAP deepen, farmers in Clare and throughout Ireland who have trees growing on their property should be awarded carbon credits for the sequestration that these trees provide,” said Deputy Crowe.

“Some farmers would have large parts of their land planted while others may just have hedgerows incorporating native species like ash, beech and oak.

“Regardless of what quantity of trees they have growing on their property, the Department of Agriculture and EU Commission on Agriculture have thorough data of the extent of planting on each landholding.

“Digitised maps and aerial imagery, which are used to determine the extent of one’s Single Farm Payment, provide a lot of detail in terms of hedgerow and tree plantations.

“This information is available to both the department and commission in percentage terms of the overall landholding and I think that percentage should be used to provide each farmer with a carbon credit.

“This year, government is preparing its first ever carbon budget and whilst each sector will be impacted by this, I think insofar as farmers are concerned, we need to take a more carrot, less stick approach.

“For centuries, farmers have been custodians of the landscape and most are practitioners of environmental farming.

“I have also spoken with Minister McConalogue about opportunities such as solar panels on the roofs of farm sheds, which farmers could be incentivised to provide.

“I hope that the government and the EU can look at ways of carbon crediting farmers, as opposed to penalising them.”

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• Minister reiterates commitment to Broadford
• Hope on the horizon for Cooraclare, Doolin and Carrigaholt

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has held a meeting with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien following yesterday’s announcement of the National Development Plan and received assurances for the unsewered villages of Co. Clare.

Under the plan, Irish Water is to receive a significant budget of €6 billion, while an additional €243m has been allocated to advance projects that are outside the realm of Irish Water.

In essence, this means that local authorities such as Clare County Council would be able to advance small, localised sewerage and water schemes in villages.

“I have met with Minister Darragh O’Brien this afternoon and he has promised me that this additional money that his department now has will be used to design a pilot scheme for small towns and villages over the coming months,” said Deputy Crowe.

“This pilot scheme paves the way for villages like Broadford, Carrigaholt, Doolin and Cooraclare to finally be in a position to have 21^st century sewerage infrastructure.

“I expect of the Clare villages requiring this, that Broadford will be first off the mark given that land has already been acquired, planning is approved, and it is for all intents and purposes a shovel-ready project.

“Last month, Minister O’Brien visited Broadford and gave a very positive indication to PJ Mason and other members of the Broadford Action Committee that he intends to deliver on their local sewerage scheme – a project that has seen far too many false dawns.

“With hopes high that Broadford can be the first village in our county to benefit from this scheme, I hope to work closely with the other unsewered villages of Co. Clare to ensure that they too become beneficiaries in the second, third and subsequent years of the scheme.

“Many people find it hard to comprehend that, in this day and age, some villages are still without a sewerage system.

“I have been in many homes in Clare where sewerage flushed down a toilet flows into either sub-standard septic tanks or gravel soak pits at the rear of the house.

“This becomes problematic when you have a concentration of houses close by to each other and watercourses nearby that are used for domestic consumption.

“Lack of sewerage infrastructure also hugely limits how a village can grow.

“Villages like Broadford, Carrigaholt, Cooraclare and Doolin can look forward to a bright future once they have this type of infrastructure in situ.”

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• Persistent anti-social behaviour taking place
• Community risks losing playground for good

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is to front a formal complaint to An Garda Síochána in relation to the ongoing issues with anti-social behaviour and vandalism at a community playground in Sixmilebridge.

A large number of local concerned citizens have been in contact with Deputy Crowe in recent weeks, pleading for action to be taken to bring this spate of activity to an end before the playground is lost for good.

“I’ve been up there a number of times in recent weeks to see first-hand the vandalism that has taken place at the playground,” said Deputy Crowe.

“I have seen large holes punctured into the plastic moulding of slides, which could very easily injure the children that they’re made for, I have seen where a fire was lit within a cubby house in the playground and on my most recent visit found traces of broken glass vodka bottles near the swings.

“I have met with some of the local committee that oversee it and have also spoken with many residents in Sixmilebridge who are upset, fearful and dismayed by the way a minority of troublemakers are holding the community to ransom.

“This playground was developed about 10 years and it includes some state-of-the-art equipment including a zip line, skateboard ramps and so much more – it really is a fantastic amenity when it’s not abused.

“But in recent months, children and young people have been deterred from playing there because of the extent of vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

“The perpetrators are definitely a minority in the wider community but nonetheless it’s important that the community stands strong and gives a message that this won’t be tolerated.

“If this behaviour persists, there’s a very real risk that this playground will be removed and lost forever.

“Having spoken with a number of residents, I’ve decided to front a formal complaint to An Garda Síochána to ensure that an investigation is triggered.

“I hope that many local residents will feed into this process and provide the Gardaí with any information they have to help in the course of this investigation.

“I believe that many children and adolescents in the community will have an idea who is behind it and parents should try to illicit this information from them to report to the authorities.

“Thousands of euro worth of damage has been caused so far and the place is no longer safe for usage.

“I’m engaging with the community of Sixmilebridge and with Clare County Council to see if a source of funding can be found to undertake remedial works at the playground but this is contingent on the cessation of the anti-social behaviour – there is no point spending more taxpayers money if it will once again be destroyed.

“As a father of three young kids, my heart goes out to the families in the community who, for many years have loved using this facility.

“They are the ones losing out most of all and it’s for that very reason that the community must stand strong and ensure that those causing this trouble are taken to task.”

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• Concern that transatlantic flights off the cards until summer 2022
• Blow at low ebb for aviation sector if true

 

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism and Aviation Cathal Crowe says it is crucial that Aer Lingus clarifies its plans for transatlantic travel to and from Shannon Airport for the next 12 months.

A document, which outlines the airline’s timeline for the resumption of services, is said to have been circulated among company workers and states that the Shannon to New York and Boston routes will not recommence until the middle of next year.

“I’m calling on Aer Lingus to urgently make clear their future intentions for flying out of their Shannon base,” said Deputy Crowe.

“A story circulating today hints that it could be more than a year before they return transatlantic services to Shannon, which is of huge concern to their workers but would also have a devastating impact on the economy and tourism trade in the Midwest.

“Shannon, for many decades, has been the first stepping-stone for many North Americans entering Ireland and indeed Europe and it is essential that this connectivity is restored in the quickest possible timeframe.

“Aer Lingus, like many airlines, can feel disgruntled and hugely frustrated with the situation over the past 14 months, whereby practically all aircraft were grounded, very few took to the skies but the fact is there is now a clear pathway emerging for the restoration of international air travel.

“Just last week, the Digital Green Certificate was voted through the EU Parliament and this process of certification which will facilitate vaccinated and PCR-tested passengers to take to our skies once more is now going through final stages of refinement before being adopted by all member states.

“It’s expected that adoption and implementation will happen in approximately six weeks’ time.

“Parallel to this, the EU Commission is working on a separate set of proposals for Schengen Area countries that would allow a return of flights coming from North America

“At last night’s meeting of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party, I urged An Taoiseach and my colleagues in government to embrace these proposals with open arms.

“Though Ireland isn’t a Schengen Area country, we have been invited to partake in the talks and it’s in our best interests that we would go along with these proposals.

“All going well, it should be possible to see airplanes return to our skies in the next six to eight weeks.

“Whilst I fully understand the need for airlines to have a lead in period so that pilots and cabin crews can be ready and certified to return to the air, and also for marketing purposes, there is nonetheless an expectation that airlines here in Ireland and further afield will now start to commit to running services in the months ahead.

“Ryanair recently announced a new route from Shannon to Corfu and they expect to be running from Shannon in the summer and autumn period – we need to same commitment from Aer Lingus.

“This period of uncertainty is near an end and whilst I look forward to a staycation in Ireland with my family, I’ve already booked a flight from Shannon in August in anticipation of a return to international travel.

“It’s important that we here in the Midwest commit to supporting Shannon but we also need equal commitment from our airlines that have for so long serviced the region.”

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