County Kildare News

Kildare South Fianna Fail T.D., Seán Ó Feargháil has commended the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mary Coughlan TD, on securing a change in European Commission rules to allow more than 3,000 REPS farmers to join REPS 4 when their contracts come to an end this year.

Minister Coughlan secured the concession following intensive discussions on the interpretation of the Regulation between officials from her Department and their counterparts in the European Commission.

Welcoming the news, Deputy Ó Feargháil said:

"This is a significant concession secured by Minister Coughlan and I would like to commend her efforts."

"Some farmers were concerned that they would have to wait until 2009 to join REPS 4. Those who had REPS contracts ending in 2008, as things stood, would have had to wait until autumn of 2009 before they got any payments."

"However, Minister Coughlan has now agreed a special transitional arrangement for 2008 so that these farmers will be in a position to start their REPS 4 contracts and get payments later this year."

"There are a number of rules relating to the arrangement and meetings will be held shortly to brief farming organisations and REPS planners fully. Advertisements explaining the rules will also be placed in farming newspapers and all farmers with REPS contracts ending during 2008 will also be directly written to."

"I would advise all farmers affected to contact their REPS agent as soon as possible to ascertain their position following this development," concluded Deputy Ó Feargháil.

Do you want to know about stage lighting?

The stage lighting workshop is running workshops in lighting design and set up in July.

It is designed with the beginner and novice in mind.

The length of the workshop is five days at four hours per day 10-2pm at €200 per person at the Riverbank Arts Centre.

Places are limited to six per class so book early to avoid disappointment. For more information please contact the riverbank 045 448333.

Venue : Riverbank Arts Centre

Price: €200

Dates: 30th June – 5th July 2008 from 10am – 2pm

Kildare North Deputy Aine Brady has called on Bus Eireann to ensure that the proposed Naas - Kilcock Orbital Bus route, proposed by Bus Eireann, links to the rail stations at Kilcock and Sallins.
 
'Over the last two years, I have campaigned to ensure that Bus Eireann include an Orbital Route which would link Kilcock, Clane, Sallins and Naas. I am delighted that they have included this orbital route in their Transport 21 proposals. It is one of 12 new routes been proposed. It is proposed that the service will commence in Drogheda via Trim to ending in Blessington.' stated Deputy Brady.
 
'I have now requested that Bus Eireann link this service to the train stations at Kilcock and Sallins, which would bring better connectivity from a public transport perspective for the more rural commuter in North Kildare.' Stated Brady.
 
'Bus Eireann have included significant improvements in their level of service for North Kildare in their Transport 21 proposals. Naas, Johnstown and Kill will see an improved frequency of service to Dublin City and City West Complex. A new service to Dublin Airport from Naas is also included. Plans are also included to significantly increase the Kilcock / Dublin service; 32 departures from Kilcock instead of the current 10.' concluded Deputy Brady who has requested a further meeting with Bus Eireann management to discuss their proposal.

Merlin Car Auctions, the largest car auction site in Ireland, are moving their operation to Naas. The current site in Ashbourne closes today (27th March).

The new site will be operational from April 2nd 2008. It will be situated at the M7 Motor Park at Junction 10 on the Naas Road.

The new facility will be holding two auctions per week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Samba Soccer camps 2008 - Book before the 9th May for only 89 Euro.

Fancy a night out or a night away?

Then let Sensational Kids wine and dine you with a night of glamour at The GLITTER BALL 2008 in Hotel Keadeen, Newbridge on Saturday April 26th.

This black tie event commences with a champagne reception, followed by a four course dinner with wine, and bar extension.  You can dance the night away until the early hours with ABBA tribute band Abba Vous.

There will also be plenty of prize giveaways, a monster raffle and free gift bags for all the ladies.

All this for €100 per person. Tables of 10 cost €950.

The hotel is also offering special B&B rates to anybody attending. Single room €112 or a double/twin for €165. To book  contact Pauline Barry in Hotel Keadeen on 045 431666 or email pbarry@keadeenhotel.ie 

Tickets for The GLITTER BALL are on sale now from Sensational Kids. Sensational Kids are currently seeking donations of raffle prizes for The GLITTER BALL. If anybody can help with donations of a prize they would be delighted to hear from you.

Marie Louise Chapman, senior occupational therapist with the HSE, will be joining Sensational Kids to present her ideas on what you can do to help a child develop their fine motor skills. Topics will include:

How young children develop fine motor skills.

What are the foundations needed for good fine motor skills?

What exactly are good fine motor skills?

How we can help our children to develop good fine motor skills.

This information evening takes place on Monday April 14th at 8pm in Hotel Keadeen, Newbridge, Co Kildare. Early booking is advisable to avoid disappointment as this information evening is already almost half full. Admission is free but places are limited and must be reserved in advance by emailing Sensational Kids at info@sensationakids.ie or phoning us on 045 526116.

Kildare North Fianna Fail T.D. Áine Brady has welcomed the news that NUI Maynooth is to get a funding boost of €4.9 million.

"The funding will pay for two projects. The enhancement of the Callan Building will receive €2.9 million. This funding will allow for the creation of a new and refurbished laboratory and office space in the area of the biosciences as well as consolidating and enhancing the existing facilities into a single more effective unit for the benefit of researchers."

"The balance of €2 million will pay for the renovation of St. Anne’s House to accommodate the ICARUS research group and the Innovation Value Institute, two of Maynooth’s key research areas and areas of strategic growth."

"The funding will enable the NUI Maynooth to advance research and develop expectations and goals offered by national and European initiatives in the area." "The funding has been awarded by the Department of Education under the Research Facilities Enhancement Scheme initiative."

"This investment will send a strong message that Ireland is investing heavily in research in all areas of the country."

"It will also enhance NUI Maynooth, make it more attractive for students and develop cutting edge research in Kildare," concluded Deputy Brady.

With preparations well underway for Mondello Park's fortieth anniversary celebrations in May the circuits 2008 race programme kicks into action this Sunday (March 24th) with a championship car race event to be run by the Leinster Motor Club.

Sunday's race meeting is the first of ten car events at the circuit this season. The schedule includes two events where there will be visits from UK classes as well as the fortieth anniversary races, the annual Leinster Trophy and a single non-championship event.

This weekend’s races will see a number of firsts for the Kildare circuit. Following the enormous success of the 'Formula Libre' single seater class in recent years the same formula will be applied to saloon racing this season. The new tin-top 'Saloon Car Challenge' can be contested by any closed cockpit car and is expected to attract not only modified road cars, but it is also expected that purpose built racing saloons such as ex BTCC and World Touring Car will eventually be sourced by competitors.

Also on the bill this Sunday will be the first ever 'Time-Attack' for modified road cars. This relatively new form of racing is contested mainly by Japanese Car tuners looking to test out their cars ability on track, and vehicles taking part must remain closer to their road car roots than in the saloon libre class. While all cars will take to the track together, this event will be a time trial rather than a race and the results will be decided by the fastest lap time for each competitor.

Another new aspect of this Sunday's event will be the provision of marshaling services by the Mondello Park Track Team. The new club will take over circuit marshaling for all Mondello car race events from this season along with assisting the organising club through provision of additional race administration personnel. Track Team membership is currently open and Mondello Park is looking for new members for both its on-track and off-track sections.

Sunday's programme includes two races each for Global Lights, Saloon Car Challenge and Fiat Abarth's with Time Attack also having two runs. Single races for Fiat Punto's, Fiat Uno's Historic Racing Cars and a non-championship Formula Vee race complete the twelve event programme which gets underway at 11:50, following practice and qualifying from 09:30.

The Government is determined to ensure that more information is available during this EU Treaty referendum campaign than in any previous Irish referendum.

Deputy Michael Fitzpatrick T.D. has welcomed the statement from EU Affairs Minister Dick Roche TD that before polling day on the Reform Treaty referendum the people of Ireland will have more factual information available to them on the Treaty than has been made available in any previous Irish referendum.

Taken together, all of this information will help the electorate to be very well informed on the Reform Treaty in the period leading to the referendum," Deputy Fitzpatrick added.

• A 22-page bilingual guide to the Treaty was published last month.  Copies are available at present through the lo-call number 1850 211602.  Plans are being put in place to deliver a copy of this guide to as many households as possible over the next six weeks.
• Copies of the explanatory pamphlet and the 22-page guide are available through the dedicated website www.reformtreaty.ie
• Anybody can ring the lo-call number 24 hours per day and leave a request for copies of the Treaty, for other material or can leave specific queries which will receive individual attention.
• A White Paper, which will provide a detailed analysis of the Reform Treaty, will also be published in early April.
• A guide to the Treaty has been published by the National Forum on Europe. The Forum itself is holding a widely advertised series of public sessions throughout the country.
• A Consolidated Version of the Treaties, outlining what the European Treaties will look like after the Reform Treaty is ratified, has been produced by the Irish Institute of International and European Affairs.  A PDF version of this volume, which has been widely acclaimed, can be downloaded free of charge from the website www.reformtreaty.ie .  A copy of the Consolidated Version of the Treaties was last month sent to every public library in the country.

A very significant budget has been set aside for the Referendum Commission. The Commission, which is an independent body, will put its own strategy in place for public information on the Treaty and to encourage maximum voter participation in the Referendum itself.

On the Reform Treaty itself, Deputy Fitzpatrick added that EU membership has been massively beneficial and greatly influential in many facets of our economy and society - providing significant funding; improving working conditions; and opening up trading barriers and increasing market access through the Single Market.  EU membership is, and will continue to be, crucial to Ireland’s well-being. 

The Reform Treaty will not only improve the way the Union functions but will support and sustain economic growth; create and protect jobs; promote international trade and environmental sustainability; and speed up decision making.

Naas Summer Fun Camp is an inter-agency summer project for people aged 5-14 years.

Genealogist Karel Kiely, of the Kildare History and Family Research Centre,  appeared on RTE News on Wednesday, 12th March 2008,  to promote the new online genealogical service which currently gives access to over 9 million records. The interview is also online on the RTE website.

The occasion was the national launch of the Irish Family History Foundation's online research service. It was launched symbolically at the quays in Dublin, on board the Famine Ship, Jeanie Johnston, in the presence of the Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin and Ambassadors to Ireland from the U.S., Australia and Canada.

Members from I.F.H.F. centres from all over the country and from various other affiliated organisations, as well as representatives from the Churches, Government Departments, Local Authorities and Libraries, gathered in the bowels of the historic ship to see the service officially launched by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Seamus Brennan and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, both of whom paid tribute to the enormous amount of work done over a long number of years and praised the great tourism potential of this truly all-Ireland initiative. 

Click here to view the online database

N.T. NEW CONNECTIONS: INTERNATIONAL NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL

Kildare Youth Theatre @ Crooked House, in association with the National Theatre of Britain (sponsored by Bank of America)

Tuesday 25th – Saturday 29th March 2008 | 8pm | €14/€10 | groups and student offers available | Box Office 045 448333.

Riverbank Arts Centre, Main Street, Newbridge, County Kildare

This is the sixth annual international collaboration between Britain’s National Theatre and KYT, a partnership that produced memorable new work by Mark Ravenhill, Jon Fosse, Enda Walsh, Ursula Rani Sarma and Lin Coghlan amongst others. Each year the National commissions 10 new plays from internationally recognised writers and over 200 youth theatres across Britain and Ireland perform them. This year, the Newbridge festival will showcase work from 3 of the writers in Irish premiere performances, and a rehearsed reading of a play from Italian writer Fausto Paravidino.

This season's festival will bring to a total of 22 new plays from the Connections portfolios premiered by Kildare Youth Theatre since 2002, making it the single largest producer of new work in the NT Connections history.

'Scenes from Family Life' by MARK RAVENHILL
Directed by Keith Burke

’Burying Your Brother in the Pavement’ by JACK THORNE
Directed by Mary Duffin

’A Vampire Story’ by MOIRA BUFFINI
Directed by Peter Hussey, Artistic Director of Crooked House Theatre Company, Ireland

 and a rehearsed reading of

‘Nuts’ by FAUSTO PARAVIDINO from the 2002 NT Connections Portfolio.
Directed by Michele Panella,Associate Director of  Teatro della Limonaia, Florence and Artistic Director of Grupo Tri-boo, Florence

SCENES FROM FAMILY LIFE by MARK RAVENHILL
Jack and Lisa: two ordinary teenagers who want to have a baby. Only problem is Lisa keeps vanishing –literally - into thin air. Their friends Barry and Stacy have the same problem. Stacy is eight months pregnant. But Barry keeps vanishing in front of her eyes.  Soon, they discover that first their friends and eventually the whole world are dematerializing. With Lisa and Barry faded away to nothing, Jack’s flat is requisitioned by the army and given over to a parents and babies group. But when finally everyone else vanishes for good, there’s only Jack and Stacy left in the world. It’s up to Jack to deliver Stacy’s baby.
Six months on and Jack and Stacy are the only boy and girl on the planet. For Jack it’s a dream, for Stacy a nightmare. And when the vanished start to return, Jack has to learn how complex adult relationships are. Directed by Keith Burke.

BURYING YOUR BROTHER IN THE PAVEMENT by JACK THORNE
Tom's brother is dead. He was killed by a broken bottle to the neck... This has upset a lot people..... it hasn’t upset Tom. Or, rather, it has upset him, but in ways he can't explain and in ways his aunties – who keep trying to thrust snack products at him – would never understand. You see, Tom and his brother, Luke, were never friends, were never really much at all, I mean, Tom really didn’t like Luke, but without him... So it’s an odd decision – to try and bury Luke in the pavement of the Tunstall Estate – to try and bury him at the point where he was brutally murdered – but, you know, it sort of makes sense. In a kind of upside-down, monkey-type way.

As he goes through due process on pavement burial, Tom comes across planning officials, tramps, undertakers, police officers, sisters, mothers, estate agents, ghosts, pavement elephants, sky dragons and a strange lad called Tight who wants to sell him a travel-card.
This is a play about grief, and looking at someone that little bit more closely – oh, and there are a few songs, bits of dancing, and lots of weird things involving sofas. Directed By Mary Duffin.

A VAMPIRE STORY by MOIRA BUFFINI
Two young women arrive in a nameless British small-town. Their names are not their own. They don’t declare their ages. Their relationship with each other is not clear. Are they sisters, as their assumed identities declare? Or are they mother and daughter? The eldest, Claire, takes a job in a pub. The youngest, Eleanor, goes to school.

During a truth exercise in her drama class, Eleanor confesses that she has been alive for over two hundred yeas and has survived by drinking human blood. Her classmates think she is utterly crazy and Mint, her teacher, puts her in touch with the school counsellor. She makes one friend, Frank, a boy who has been home educated and is as much of an oddity as Eleanor. He tries to get to the bottom of her vampire delusion, thinking it an epic and compelling psychosis. Why would anyone want to be undead? Frank's parents believe that Ella is an anorexic - why does she never eat?

Eleanor has started to write her life story as a play. She describes Claire’s background as a prostitute in 19th century London and her own as a child in a private orphanage. Meanwhile, things are falling apart. People are disappearing. Are Eleanor and Claire vampires? Or are they troubled young women on the run? Directed by Peter Hussey.

Tuesday 25th March
8.00pm: A Devised Play by Kildare Youth Theatre and a visiting production from Independent Youth Theatre, Ranelagh.

Wednesday 26th March
8.00pm: Burying Your Brother in the Pavement. 9.00pm: A Vampire Story.

Thursday 27th March
8.00pm: Scenes From Family Life. 9.00pm: Burying Your Brother in the Pavement.

Friday 28th March
8.00pm: A Vampire Story. 9.00pm: Scenes From Family Life.

Saturday 29th March
3.00pm: A rehearsed reading of NUTS by Fausto Paravidino, directed by Italian director Michele Panella

8.00pm: Burying Your Brother in the Pavement. 9.00pm: A Vampire Story.

Further details on www.riverbank.ie and on www.crookedhouse.ie and on www.ntconnections.org.uk

Event details on http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10556680627&ref=nf

Company details on www.kildareyouththeatre.bebo.com and www.crookedhouse.ie

2008 Flora Mini Marathon – Special Olympics Leinster Needs YOU!
 
This year the 2008 Flora Mini Marathon takes place on bank holiday, Monday 2nd June at 3.00pm in Dublin and Special Olympics Leinster is calling all ladies from Co Kildare to get a gang of friends, family and/or work colleagues together to participate and help create more opportunities for people with a learning disability in the county.

All participants must enter either on the official Entry Form which will appear in the Evening Herald every Thursday and Saturday from Thursday 28th February 2008 or online at www.florawomensminimarathon.ie from 29th February 2008. Closing Date is 22nd April or when maximum number of entries is reached.

Once entered, participants can contact Claire O’Leary or email claire.oleary@specialolympics.ie to get a sponsor card and a special ‘goodie bag’ which includes a Special Olympics Leinster T/shirt and baseball cap.

Special Olympics Leinster is a year round sports training and competition programme for people with a learning disability in the Leinster area (excluding Dublin city and county).  To find out how you can get involved in Special Olympics Leinster, please call 01 6292999, email leinster@specialolympics.ie or visit www.specialolympics.ie

Deputy Emmet Stagg and his colleague Jack Wall T.D. raised on the Adjournment Debate in the Dail on Thursday 6^th March the decision by the HSE in drawing up their Draft Capital Plan for 2008 to exclude Phase 3C of Naas General Hospital for Capital Funding.

In his address to the Dail Deputy Stagg pointed out that it was Labour when last in Government in 1996 who had sanctioned the Redevelopment of the Hospital and that there had been major improvements at the Hospital since in all aspects of the delivery of health services to the people of Kildare. The final phase of the redevelopment stated Deputy Stagg included the provision of two additional 31 bed wards, additional physiotherapy and occupational services facilities and a catering unit for 255 patients and 800 staff. The project was to commence in 2004, but the Government refused to allow the HSE to seek tenders for the project until 2007. By late 2007 a Tender Report was submitted to the HSE with a recommendation for a preferred contractor. The HSE then decided on 14^th February to exclude Phase 3C from their 2008 Draft Capital Plan.

After 4 years of Government promises, including before last years General Election, we now have the project dropped despite the fact that on Monday 3^rd March 16 patients were on trolleys in Naas General Hospital, On Tuesday 4^th March 31 people were on Trolleys, On Wednesday 5^th March 23 people were on Trolleys and on Thursday 6^th March 21 people were on Trolley`s. Nobody deserves to be treated in such an undignified manner declared Deputy Stagg. The provision of additional hospital beds under Phase 3C would eliminate the practice and he called on the Minister to change the Draft Capital Plan for 2008 and include the final phase of the redevelopment of Naas General Hospital.

Minister of State Jimmy Devins responded on behalf of the Minister for Health and effectively stated that neither he nor Mary Harney had any say in the matter because it was up to the HSE to prioritise projects based on the HSE`s commitments and priorities.

Reacting to the Minister of State`s response Deputy Stagg stated that the comments were a disgrace and an abdication of responsibility. What in the name of hell are these Minister`s doing in Government if they fail to take seriously their responsibilities to deliver a proper Health Service for the people of Co. Kildare. Instead they want to leave all the blame to the HSE, an unelected and unaccountable body as has been seen in recent days over the disclosure of the Cancer Crisis in Portlaoise.

Deputy Stagg stated that both he and his colleague Jack Wall T.D. would continue their campaign to have Phase 3C included in the Capital Plan for 2008 and would use every means possible to overcome this Government`s ineptitude in the matter.

The Irish Field, Ireland’s leading racing, breeding and equestrian publication, has announced that it will extend its sponsorship of the final Irish classic of the season, The Irish Field St Leger, for a three-year period.

The Irish Field’s Managing Editor Leo Powell said "The profile of the race and the high quality of the winners has encouraged us to commit to the race for a further period, during which time we also look forward to seeing the Curragh racecourse redevelopment take place.”

April Series of Talks on Natural Solutions  for Common Ailments.

A series of talks by homeopath Jane-Elizabeth Sutton will take place each Tuesday morning for five weeks in April from 11.00am to 12.00pm at Leixlip Library.

These talks concern all ages; from morning sickness, to first aid, to childhood problems and IBS. They offer information about food as medicine, homeopathic remedies and healing affirmations.

Please contact the library for further information.

These talks are open to all.

If I Had an Artist for a Day is an arts in education initiative. The programme aims to provide quality arts experiences & for artist, teacher and children to have some fun!!!

The workshops are interactive in nature, with dance, an introduction to musical instruments, fun with words and language and experimentation with art materials.The programme has something to offer every school regardless of physical space or previous experience!

This scheme will be offered in two rounds (i) 16th April - 27th June 2008 (ii) 8th September - 30th November 2008

Registration must be made directly to the Arts Service using the form - Download the application form and brochure here.

Closing date for both rounds of applications is Friday 4th April.

Kildare South Fianna Fail T.D. Sean Ó Feargháil has welcomed the announcement of funding of over €16,000 from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to benefit a local voluntary organisation working for older people.

“Rathangan Core Group will receive €16,645 under the Community Support for Older People scheme assisting the group in their work to improve the security of older members of the community.”

“The funding will help with the provision of a wide range of security aids such as socially monitored alarm systems, security lighting, smoke alarms, door chains and locks for windows and doors.”

“Making the homes of older people safer can often help them to remain in their own homes and at the centre of their communities instead of feeling they need to move to residential accommodation or to live with family members.”

“The benefits of this scheme would not be realised without the hard work and dedication of volunteers in the community who help to implement it and I wish to acknowledge their invaluable work.”

“Funding is available throughout the year under this Scheme. I would encourage any other organisations and groups in Kildare working to support older people in this way to apply for the available funding,” concluded Deputy Ó Feargháil.

At the launch of the Transport 21 Second Annual Progress Report in respect of 2007, The Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey TD  was delighted to report that a major highlight of the year was that spending on public transport, at €640m, increased by 82% over 2006.

According to the Annual Report, expenditure on national roads was €2.2 billion and on public transport was €640.4m.  The estimated expenditure on public transport for 2008 is €986m, representing a further year on year increase of 54%.  This demonstrates in a tangible way the overall commitment in Transport 21 to delivering real public transport solutions throughout Ireland. 

In welcoming this report, Kildare Deputy Michael Fitzpatrick noted that “Transport 21 is delivering tangible benefits - increased public transport facilities, more services, shorter travel times and greater connectivity between the regions”.

The Minister reported that at €34bn, this is the largest coordinated transport infrastructure project in Irish history.  It encompasses trains, trams, buses and roads, and it is delivering new projects from 2006 to 2015, in every part of the country.”

Deputy Fitzpatrick noted that among the projects delivered under Transport 21 at the end of 2007 -

• The commencement of the upgrading of the Kildare Rail line, to permit a major increase in route services. 
• Progress will continue this year with Transport 21’s 2008 expenditure provision at almost €3bn. 
• Focus on public transport delivery will continue as a priority, with a total spend of almost €1bn.
• The deployment of the new intercity railcars will continue across the rail network.  This new fleet will be maintained at a new traincare depot in Portlaoise which will open during the year
• Work will get underway on the Dublin city centre resignalling project which will increase capacity on the city centre and the Maynooth line.
• Work will continue on the Kildare line upgrade.
• Phases 1 and 3 of the M50 upgrade will continue and barrier-free tolling will be introduced on the West-Link Bridge.

Places are available on this course, to take place at the Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth over the course of 5 consecutive Mondays fom the 31st March to the 28th April.

• 5 Day Training Programme certified by the National Hygiene Partnership – National Framework of Qualifications Level 6
• This course is designed for personnel with a responsibility for the management of food operations, members of the HACCP Food Safety Team.

Content

• Basic Microbiology Food Poisoning 
• Food Borne Disease Personal Hygiene and Safety 
• Food Purchasing, Delivery and Storage Food Preparation and Cooking 
• Holding, Display, Service and Preservation Cleaning and Disinfection 
• Legislation Introduction to the Principles of HACCP 
• Design & Construction of Food Premises Management of Hygiene and Records & Development of an Action Plan   
   

Course Outline

• Knowledge and skills required for developing an effective Food Safety System, incorporating Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). 
• Skills and knowledge to implement an on-going Basic Food Safety Training Programme for staff.

TOTAL COST OF COURSE          €243.00    

• Course Dates:  31st March, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th April 2008
• Programme is FAS funded 70% subject to eligibility

A recommended minimum of 2 participants from a company attends the training programme to ensure the company and participants obtain the maximum possible benefit and successful implementation of the HACCP Food Safety System.

To book places on the course, please complete the FAS application form and send cheque made payable to:

About Hygiene, Address High Street, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim

Fianna Fail T.D. for Kildare South, Sean Ó Feargháil, has commended the efforts of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee to meet the EU Commissioner for External Trade, Peter Mandelson, to discuss the on-going World Trade Agreement negotiations.

“The World Trade Organisation’s negotiations will have a significant impact on the future of Irish farming.”

“It is our priority to protect the interests of Irish farmers and our Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan, T.D. and her officials are currently putting the case for Irish farmers at the WTO negotiations.”

“In the meantime, the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee has asked the EU Commissioner for External Trade, Peter Mandelson, to appear before them to discuss issues of concern.”

“Irish farmers are right to be concerned about the WTO as it will result in new challenges for the Irish industry particularly for the meat sector.”

“There are serious concerns that Irish and EU agriculture will be sacrificed for the sake of a final WTO agreement.”

“The French Government is among 14 others that are working with the Irish Government to safeguard the interests of European farmers.”

“The EU needs to pursue the interests of farmers more aggressively within the negotiations.”

“The Common Agricultural Policy has played a vital role in the development of Irish farming and our food industry here.”

“It would be a massive setback if the WTO agreement undermined the CAP in any way.”

“It is expected that there will be an intensified effort to find agreement over the next two months and this is why the Agriculture Committee wants to meet with Commissioner Mandelson so urgently,” concluded Deputy Ó Feargháil.

It will be a case of three into one must go this weekend (Sun 9th March 2008) at Mondello Park, for the final round of the 2007/2008 Motorsport Ireland Rallycross Championship, organised by the Carlow Car Club. The Supercar, Modified and Stockhatch titles are still up for grabs and in each division three drivers are still in the fight, which should guarantee a day of superb action.

The overall championship can still be won by Dermot Carnegie (Ford Fiesta), Paul Grogan (Subaru Impreza) or George Tracey (Metro 6R4). Carnegie will undoubtedly start the event as favourite to re-claim his crown due to the thirteen point lead he holds over Grogan. The Dublin Rallycross veteran has a further point in hand over traditional title rival Tracey which means he does not need to push for the victory to seal another crown.

Carnegies Fiesta has taken him to two wins this season and with neither of his rivals having won a round he is in an extremely strong position. While lacking the speed and experience to challenge for race wins, the impressive Grogan has picked up speed all season in his Subaru but would probably need a non-finish by Carnegie and Tracey to be in with a shout of an unlikely first title. Former champ Tracey knows what it takes to get to the top step of the podium but has had a poor season by his standards and will probably need to take his first win of the campaign with Carnegie hitting trouble if he is to have any hope of overhauling him.

In the modified division it’s all about the Coyne brothers who fill the top three positions separated by just four points. Willie Coyne with his Nova currently sits on the top of the pile with Brendan’s Fiesta three points adrift and the fastest of the trio, Michael with his Nova, a further point behind. Any of these three could come out on top on Sunday with the points permutations so complicated that all three will have to really go for it in order to come out tops in this long running family rivalry. In the unlikely event of all three hitting problems Mark Carroll is waiting in the wings to take over. He still has an outside chance of becoming champ as do Keith Curran and Chris Grimes.

The budget Stockhatch class again has three main contenders but Michael Duke will start as favourite due to his ten point advantage over English raider Julian Godfrey. Keith Campbell is the only other driver with a mathematical chance of lifting the crown. In the Rallycar Division class 9A is the only one still to be decided with Des Ryan having tied up Class 9 and Andrew Morris 9B. Pat Keogh, Pat Murphy and Jack Deegan are the trio battling it out here.

Qualifying heats to decide the grid positions for Sunday afternoon's finals get underway at 10:00 on Sunday morning with the excitement building towards the finals scheduled to get underway at 15:30.

TIMETABLE
 
09:15
 Practice Commences
 
09:45
 Practice Finishes
 
10:00
 Heats Run 1
 
11:30
 Heats Run 2
 
13:00
 Lunch Break
 
13:45
 Heats Run 3 
15:30
 Finals

The first Spring session of the Athy Men's Group will take place on 12th March at 4.30pm in Athy CDP, Woodstock Street, Athy, Co. Kildare. 

If you are interested in becoming a member please feel free to come along to the meeting on 12th March. 

Further enquiries available from Athy Community Development Project on:  059-8632277

The Curragh Racecourse has been granted planning permission for its grandstand redevelopment, two years after lodging the initial application.

There will be no interruption to racing this year, and construction work should begin in September.