fishing industry
A series of articles about the Irish fishing industry - one of Ireland's few remaining indigenous industries.
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articles
Ireland joins EU initiative to counter disinformation and safeguard democratic resilience
Ireland has backed another move towards preparing for threats against European democracy from disinformation campaigns, sabotage of critical infrastructure, and war.All but one of the 27 EU cultural ministers in Brussels have supported the approval of EU Council policy regarding access to “reliable news” as part of its so-called European Democracy Shield.They included media minister Patrick O’Donovan, who represented Ireland at the meeting.The shield initiative is part of the EU’s package of mea...
‘A brave and great man’: Ukrainians in Ireland welcome Zelenskyy to Dublin
To Svetlana Zakhova, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the embodiment of a “brave and great man”.On her way to meet him in Dublin, she told the Irish Examiner it was a great honour that he is here.The 50-year-old Cork case worker, who has been living in Ireland since 2002 and works with Cork city’s Together-Razem Centre in Blackpool, said: “I'm actually very proud that our president finally visited Ireland. “I'm not sure what the benefit of his visit should be, but Ireland is a very positive and supportiv...
Resident of flood-hit Cork village tells committee they 'live in fear every time it rains'
A resident of a village regularly hit by floods was close to tears in the Oireachtas as she pleaded for urgent action to defend communities against flooding.TDs also heard her call for developers to “stop building on flood plains” and for the Government to give Cork County Council cash it had promised but failed to provide.Gleann Fia Residents Association secretary Vivienne Jeffers, described her village of Mogeely as somewhere residents still “live in fear every time it rains”.“We're not asking...
Marymount becomes latest Cork hospital to join neighbourhood watch scheme for medical facilities
A fourth Cork City hospital has signed up to a neighbourhood watch scheme for hospitals.Marymount University Hospital is the latest to join other Cork City garda division hospitals Cork University Hospital, Bon Secours Hospital and Mercy University Hospital. They are among more than 30 hospitals that have joined the scheme since 2005.A garda spokesperson said: “Similar to the residential Neighbourhood Watch scheme, Hospital Watch operates as a partnership between An Garda Síochána in Togher Cork...
Cork creamery ordered by EPA to stop discharging effluent into river
The ability of one of Ireland’s biggest creameries to produce milk has been hit by an Environmental Protection Agency order to stop discharging effluent into one of Cork’s rivers.The action was taken after “exceedances” were detected in treated effluent discharges from North Cork Creameries in Kanturk on November 11.The EPA said although the creamery ceased discharging its effluent — wastewater from the milk processing process — from a discharge point into the nearby River Allow and began undert...
‘Slot machines are the crack cocaine of gambling’: Ballincollig casino approved despite major local opposition
The word casino usually evokes images of Las Vegas and a glitz-filled fantasy of Hollywood icons like George Clooney’s Danny Ocean, with Julia Roberts by his side.It’s bright lights, big cities and iconic gambling palaces like the Bellagio and the MGM Grand.What it isn’t, however, is Bridewell Street in Mallow.This is where you will find the Gold Rush Casino,a place that feels far removed from the fantasy its name suggests.It is located on a narrow bin-lined passage running along the back entran...
Hospitals notify Hiqa of 123 unexpected deaths since September 2024
Hiqa has been notified of the unexpected deaths of two expectant or new mothers and 19 stillborn or newborn babies under new hospital reporting rules.Their deaths are among 123 notifications the health watchdog received since mandatory Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 reporting requirements came into force in September last year.The act requires serious adverse events resulting in unanticipated deaths, or outcomes of traumatic births, to be notified to Hiqa by h...
Ireland overshoots greenhouse gas limits by 10m tonnes
Ireland has overshot its greenhouse gas limits this year by more than 10 times the annual emissions from a city like Cork.
Ireland’s carbon budgets, which allocate emissions ceilings to the likes of motorists, households, farmers, businesses, and industry in five-year cycles, aimed to reduce emissions by 4.8% a year from 2021 to 2025 under the first block, while the 2026-2030 budget will increase that annual reduction target to 8.3%.
Ireland’s carbon budgets, which allocate emissions ceilings to the likes of motorists, households, farmers, businesses, and industry in five-year cycles, aimed to reduce emissions by 4.8% a year from 2021 to 2025 under the first block, while the 2026-2030 budget will increase that annual reduction target to 8.3%.
Bird flu fears for Ireland's seals as UK records rise in seal deaths
Seals could be the next victims of Ireland’s bird flu outbreak, as reports of seal deaths in the UK are on the increase.There has already been confirmed findings of avian influenza in non-avian wildlife in parts of the UK, with seals the biggest victims.While there are no known cases of mammals contracting bird flu in Ireland to date, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 strain has been discovered in sea birds on Irish coasts not far from our seal colonies.Seal Rescue Ireland, Irel...
Midleton flood alert system records highest levels since launch amid rising river concerns
The first early warning flood alert system of its kind in Ireland recorded its highest readings this morning since it was launched earlier this year.The Midleton Early Warning System (MEWS) — a free text alert service introduced in Midleton in May — began sending alerts to 5,000 registered users from 10.15am today.A status yellow rain alert was in place for Cork and Kerry until 2pm today, with localised flooding reported in a many parts of the county across the morning.The Water Level Alert warn...
Four deaths among 24 adverse events reported to Hiqa under new legislation
The deaths of an expectant mother and three babies were among 24 adverse events referred to the State’s health watchdog under new hospital reporting rules.In its latest annual Overview Report of Healthcare Services, the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) revealed it received the notifications of adverse events between September 26 and December 31 last year.Three of them were described as the unintended or unanticipated death of a healthy patient undergoing elective surgery, and thre...
Disabled community fear AI will be used to cut costs and replace human supports, Dáil committee hears
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems used to help people with disabilities could end up being biased against the very same cohort, TDs and senators have been warned.The Irish Deaf Society's Elaine Grehan, of the Disabled Persons' Organisations (DPO) Network, told the Oireachtas AI Committee that studies in the UK have already shown gender bias in care decisions have emerged.Ms Grehan also warned about the fear among the disabled community that AI systems could be introduced as a way of cutting c...
Climate change a bigger threat to humanity than 'science fiction' predictions on AI, UCC scientist says
Hype around artificial intelligence’s threat to humanity is “overstated”, and people should be far more worried about climate change, according to one of the world’s leading AI experts.Barry O’Sullivan, a professor at University College Cork’s School of Computer Science, also believes it is “foolhardy” to think AI is anywhere near being capable of always successfully completing even basic, mundane tasks.Instead, he says much of what is being said about AI is “still in the realm of science ficti...
Surplus renewable energy used to heat immersion tanks of older people
A project inspired by the late Cork business leader John Mullins is using surplus renewable energy to provide free hot water to older people in Cork city.The EnergyCloud Age Friendly Initiative won the environment category section of the National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards.It was a collaboration between Cork City Council, Cork City Age Friendly, and the EnergyCloud Ireland charity.But the project was the brainchild of the late John Mullins, the former chief executive of...
Irish people as much to blame as Government for failing to meet climate change targets, expert says
The Irish people and successive governments are equally to blame for why Ireland is on course to miss its emission reduction targets, according to a leading climate change expert.Professor Peter Thorne, who is professor in physical geography (climate change) at Maynooth University, said the Government had “failed to grapple with the difficult decisions required”.However, the director of the Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units group also said: “Citizens, equally, have not taken actions tha...
Irish people surveyed want data centres to be powered completely by renewable energy
Data centres should be helped the least in the event of future power shortages, according to a poll from environmental advocacy organisation Friends of the Earth.Those polled in Ireland in an EU-wide survey of 5,032 people also want all new data centres to be powered completely by renewable energy sources.Some key findings of the poll showed that, in Ireland, housing is the most preferred sector for energy prioritisation during power shortages, with 37% of respondents choosing it as their favour...
Doctors clear President Higgins to return home after brief hospital stay
President Michael D Higgins is likely to be discharged from hospital today, according to Áras an Uachtaráin.The 84-year-old was admitted to St James’s Hospital in Dublin on Sunday evening amid concerns about an infection he had developed.He was placed on a course of antibiotics and kept overnight for observation, and had hoped to be discharged the following day.While his medical team noted a significant improvement, they decided it was best for him to remain on antibiotics and under observation...
President Higgins to remain in hospital with infection 'to continue course of antibiotics'
President Michael D Higgins is to remain in hospital for continued treatment after being admitted for examination of an infection.The 84-year-old was admitted to St James’ Hospital in Dublin on Sunday night for the examination and was — subject to medical advice — expected to be discharged later on Monday. While he is understood to have recovered well, the advice is now that he remain in hospital. Áras an Uachtaráin communications chief Andrew Payne said: “President Higgins was yesterday admitte...
North Cork Creameries CEO Pat Sheahan to step down
The chief executive of North Cork Creameries is to step down at the end of the year, it has been announced. Pat Sheahan had served at the company since 2013. North Cork Creameries employs around 100 people locally and has 250 family farm milk suppliers. In a statement, North Cork Creameries board chairperson Thomas O'Donoghue said: “On behalf of the board, I sincerely thank Pat Sheahan for his tireless contribution, personal commitment, and dedicated service to North Cork Creameries. "He has led...
Call for end to 'light touch' enforcement in wake of country's biggest ever fish kill
The country's largest ever fish kill on the Blackwater River in Cork in August must become a wake-up call to end “light touch” environmental enforcement, Salmon Watch Ireland has said.The body, which campaigns for the restoration of Ireland’s salmon populations, said the fact that nobody has been held responsible for the loss of 32,000 fish illustrates the need for tougher enforcement and clearer response protocols.A report, published last month, into the incident that killed the salmon and brow...
Prosecutions fall despite rise in enforcement actions against environmental breaches in 2024
Local authorities are getting better at clamping down on people and companies who breach environmental laws, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).The environment watchdog says local authorities improved their environmental enforcement performance by 20% over the past three years, with 79% of the National Enforcement Priority (NEP) assessments meeting the required standard in 2024.But while enforcement actions — which include environmental orders, civil penalties, and criminal p...
West Cork island facing annual fight to attract families amid fears for school’s future
One of the country’s last remaining island primary schools faces an annual fight to attract families with children for the “foreseeable future”, say residents.Just three months ago, Cape Clear’s Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Chléire’s future seemed assured with the prospect of three new families sending their children there from September.But none of them started as expected, and now only the children of just one family living on the West Cork island make up the school’s four children.A fifth, the daught...
Council admits Midleton's flood defences won't be finished until mid-2026
Cork County Council has admitted it won't complete the installation of flood mitigation measures in Midleton and surrounding areas until the middle of next year.The council announced its Midleton and East Cork Individual Property Protection (IPP) Scheme in October 2024, and said delivery of the scheme would begin in early 2025.The then minister of state with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Kieran O’Donnell, announced €5.8m in funding to the council for the installation of fl...
Midleton residents to hold second protest over council's slow installation of flood defences
A second planned protest over the slow roll-out of flood defences by Cork County Council after Storm Babet is to go ahead on Saturday.Members of the Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group say Cork County Council has failed to act fast enough to improve flood defences and will mount the protest on what is the storm’s second anniversary.Some 600 houses and 300 businesses were damaged in the 2023 Storm Babet, forcing some businesses to close permanently, with damages estimated between €180m...
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