Local Authority News - Vol. 41. No. 3

LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS is available FREE OF CHARGE and ON LINE to all Local and Central Government Bodies throughout Ireland. Published bi-monthly it is disseminated Local Authority CE's, County Secretaries, Finance Officers, Administration Officers, I.T. Professionals, County Director of Services, Senior Architects, Chief Quantity Surveyors, Webmasters, Principal Officers, All Department Heads, Senior Engineers, Water / Wastewater Plant Superintendents, Senior Parks Superintendents, Environmental Officers in all City and County Councils, Office of Public Works, District Councils, Road Design Offices, Libraries, Regional Authorities, Regional Waste Authorities, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, National Transport Authority, Irish Water, EPA, RSA, SEAI, LAWPO, Government Departments, National Parks & Wildlife Service, State-Sponsored and Development Bodies, Energy Agencies, Approved Housing Bodies, Local Authority Contractors receive the online version free.

Connecting the community

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We are proud to have designed Garrydhu Bridge and associated structures for Pottery Road in Carrigaline on behalf of Cork County Council. The new bridge will boost safety and accessibility for the community and bring positive change to the daily lives of those who live and work in Carrigaline. Opening opportunities with connected thinking.

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€20m Carrigaline Western Relief Road – ʻPottery Roadʼ

Officially Opened

A new Relief Road designed to provide a safer environment for cyclists and pedestrians has been officially opened in Carrigaline by the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD and Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey

The €20m Relief Road extends from Ballea Road to Kilmoney Road, improving connectivity and access to Carrigaline Town Centre. The main line of the relief road is 750m running parallel with Carrigalineʼs Main Street. The scheme includes a ddouble-spanbridge over the Owenabue River, a 1.5km dedicated cycle track, over 3kms of footpaths and finishes at Mill Road, a 700m urban road. The new road is partially constructed on the former site of Carrigaline Pottery, which went on to inspire its name. Following a public competition, five names were shortlisted before Elected Members of Carrigaline Municipal District selected ʻPottery Roadʼ or ʻBóthar na Potaireachtaʼ as the new name for the Western Relief Road.

Speaking at the Official Opening, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins commented, “We are here today to mark a historic development for the town of Carrigaline, one which signals further growth and prosperity for the area. While we celebrate this progress, the townʼs past has not been forgotten. Carrigaline was well-known for its pottery for several decades. Indeed, Carrigaline Pottery was the main source of employment in the town for many years before closing in 1979. The opening today of Pottery Road brings with it a new era of growth, with safer, more sustainable travel choices for those who live and work in Carrigaline and the surrounding areas. I look forward to seeing the community enjoy all the benefits that this will bring.” Further acknowledging the rich heritage of the area, the new bridge will be known as ʻGarrydhu Bridgeʼ and the road from Pottery Road to Ballea Road, adjacent to the Soccer Club will be called ʻMill Roadʼ.

A new Relief Road designed to provide a safer environment for cyclists and pedestrians has been officially opened in Carrigaline by the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD and Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey.

Pic Brian Lougheed

Officially opening the new road in Carrigaline, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD said, “The Western Relief Road will greatly improve safety and accessibility for the community, bringing real positive change in the daily lives of those who live and work in Carrigaline. The development has laid the foundation for new homes and community facilities in the future. It will encourage economic growth, supporting further investment and employment to the region. I look forward to seeing Carrigaline go from strength to strength in the years ahead and wish all who travel on the road a safe journey.”

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey added, “Carrigaline Western Relief Road will significantly reduce traffic congestion on Main Street, as well as providing a safer environment for all road users. The overall scheme was designed to also enable future development of housing units through the provision of essential services such as wastewater pumping stations and a water main along the extent of the scheme. Active travel measures were also carefully incorporated to provide alternative travel options for those living and working in the area. The Relief Road provides the infrastructure for the ongoing development of the countyʼs largest town and is one of a number of exciting projects planned for Carrigaline over the coming years.”

Alasdair Henderson, Executive Director, BAM Ireland commented, “Together with design consultants Atkins, Mott MacDonald, and Barry Transportation, we are delighted to have delivered this critical piece of infrastructure at Carrigaline for Cork County Council. It has been a great pleasure to collaboratively work with all stakeholders, especially the local community, on this project. These works will greatly enhance the quality of life for the people of Carrigaline by relieving traffic congestion, reducing noise and air pollution, attracting new development, and improving the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.”

Carrigaline Western Relief Road was funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) as part of Project Ireland 2040, the National Transport Authority and Cork County Council. The project began in April 2021 and was completed on schedule with main contractors BAM. The scheme was supported by Engineering Consultancies Atkins, JB Barry and Mott McDonald.

Wexford County Council - new Online Payment Portal

Wexford County Council has been using XRS Collector, a Debt Management System, since 2020. It has revolutionised the day-to-day operations of the Credit Control section through the scheduling and prioritisation of daily workloads. It greatly facilitated both customers and staff during the pandemic. It is expected to handle more than 65,000 transactions in 2022.

Wexford County Council launched a new online Payment Portal on the 27th of September 2022. The portal is simple to use. Registration takes less than five minutes. The portal can be used to view account information, to pay, and make flexible payment plans and tailored solutions for Housing Rents, Commercial Rates, Mortgages, Fire Charges, Marina Fees & Planning Development Levies.

Account holders can now access their account information in a safe and secure environment at a time convenient to them. This Payment Portal provides easy access via multi devices and is smart-phone friendly. The design and layout of the portal mirrors existing online financial service portals for ease of access for customers.

Research carried out by Manchester Credit Union has shown that:

• 75% of customers prefer to resolve debt online rather than talk to an agent.

• 88% of traffic to self service portals are from a mobile device.

• 46% of portal activity occurs outside regular business hours.

The software for this Payment Portal is provided by Expert Revenue Systems Ltd (XRS). XRS is a 100% Irish owned company, based in Dublin. This system complies with all Central Bank requirements for financial systems.

The benefits to the account holder are:

• Simple to use.

• 24/7 on-line access from a mobile device, computer or tablet to account information allowing the customer to do business at a time that suits them.

• View account balance and transaction history online.

• Ability to make a payment immediately or set up a weekly/fortnightly/monthly recurring card payment plan.

• Card Payments are more economical that Bank Standing Orders.

• Access to information/upload documents.

• Request a call back at a time that suits them.

It provides a safe low-cost communication channel to customers and is time efficient. The model is similar to other industry standard portals like the Revenue Services MyAccount, Electric Ireland etc.

Annette OʼNeill, Head of Finance, said “We are delighted to introduce this new payment portal as we are strongly committed to delivering efficient, quality services to meet the needs of our citizens. By giving our citizens expanded payment options, we strive to make it easier and more convenient for account holders to keep their accounts up to date.”

The portal enables Wexford County Council to use its resources to address non-compliant customers while allowing all customers increased flexibility to manage their account.

The current BillPay system will cost Wexford County Council approximately €120,000 in 2022. The portal will help to significantly reduce this. Furthermore, we will make savings in postage and printing costs of approximately €60,000. This will also help us to reduce our environmental footprint.

The reception to the portal has been very positive with both the elected representatives and the public.

We in Wexford County Council seek continuous improvements in our public service, our efficiency and effectiveness through innovation and technology. Such improvements will give the public a better customer experience and a more economical service delivery model.

Grant continues to lead the way with its high efficiency, sustainable heating technologies

For over four decades Grantʼs innovative heating solutions have been helping to address the problem of rising energy costs and reduce carbon emissions, whilst contributing towards a greener future. This is now more important than ever as homeowners navigate the cost of living crisis and rise in annual heating spends.

Following the companyʼs development of HVO-ready condensing boilers, Grant has largely transformed to a renewable heating company with its portfolio including ranges of biofuel ready condensing boilers, condensing pellet boilers, solar thermal panels, underfloor heating, hot water cylinders, aluminium radiators, and air to water air source heat pumps.

The Grant Aerona3 R32 air to water air source heat pump continues to be a popular choice for new build properties as it offers cleaner, more environmentally friendly performance and can also help a new build property achieve compliance in line with Part L of the Building Regulations. With an ErP rating of A+++ and a SCOP of up to 5.4:1, the Grant Aerona3 is available in outputs of 6kW, 10kW, 13kW and 17kW. The 13kW and 17kW models are also recognised for their quiet operation by the internationally acclaimed Quiet Mark.

For heating upgrades in existing properties the award-winning Grant Vortex condensing boiler range can help to futureproof a property with its ability to run using biofuel known as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). All boilers within the range come HVO ready and older Grant condensing boilers can be adapted to run on HVO, with required modifications being carried out by a service engineer during an annual service. This adaptability of the Vortex range is helping the move towards a low carbon future, whilst still providing the reliability and efficiency that is synonymous with Grant.

Grant launches Spria Pell condensing wood pellet boiler

Grant has recently added to its product portfolio with the launch of the Grant Spira Pell condensing wood pellet boiler. This ultra-high efficiency wood pellet boiler is one of the most innovative and sustainable boiler designs on the market today and offers a cost-effective, low carbon heat source. The units utilise indigenous wood pellets to offer a truly environmentally friendly heating solution. The Spira Pell range is made using high grade steel and stainless steel, with the same simplicity of operation of any boiler type and is available in outputs from 5kW to 33kW. The boiler is easily installed and offers optimal control with an easy-to-use touch screen which provides clear and accurate information on the systems daily operations. The Spira Pell also includes some new and improved features including a universal hopper, rapid ignition and user-friendly digital display.

Speaking about the launch Grant Founder Stephen Grant said, “The Grant Spira Pell is powered using wood pellets which are one of the ʻgreenestʼ fuel sources on the market today. Compared to other fossil fuel heat source options, wood pellets provide a more cost-effective and eco-friendly option for homeowners. With the spike in cost of living and fuel prices, the launch of the Spira Pell model further reflects our commitment to understanding the current home heating landscape and the needs of homeowners.”

Visit www.grant.eu for more information on Grantʼs sustainable heating technologies. Follow Grant on Facebook and Twitter @GrantIRL or Instagram @Grant_IRL

Founder Stephen Grant with the Grant Spira Pell

Grant Aerona³ R32 10kW air to water air source heat pump

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage budget package of €6.3 billion announced

•Investment combined with vacant property tax and measures to assist renters will strengthen progress being made under Housing for All

•Significant funding for Local Authorities, Water and Heritage

Significant ongoing investment in Housing, Local Government and Heritage was announced as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OʼBrien, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Peter Burke, and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, unveiled a budget package for 2023 of €6.3 billion.

Housing for All, the governmentʼs national strategy, will receive continued record investment in 2023 with more than €4 billion in funding for housing. Minister OʼBrien emphasised that the investment announced today for housing - coupled with the new vacant property tax and the measures to assist renters - will strengthen the progress being made under Housing for All.

Minister OʼBrien said:

“My departmentʼs portfolio is varied and touches on the lives of everybody in this country. That is why we are working tirelessly to deliver for citizens in terms of housing supports, planning services, water investment, local government and Heritage. €6.3 billion is a very significant level of funding and will be instrumental in the delivery of homes, supports, services, infrastructure and amenities for citizens across Ireland.

“For Housing, the government is making Exchequer funding of €4 billion available for the delivery of housing programmes. Of this, some €2.6 billion is Capital and will be complemented by investment under the Housing Finance Agency and the Land Development Agency meaning that over €4 billion will be available for social and affordable homes. This is what we committed to just over a year ago and maintaining this level of investment in housing is the cornerstone of Housing for All. Housing is a challenge in many countries but in Ireland, through this ongoing investment, we are providing certainty and confidence to citizens and the wider market.

“More than €1.3 billion will be invested in affordability measures in 2023 including for the delivery of 5,550 affordable purchase and cost rental homes, the First Home Scheme, Local Authority Home Loan and Helpto-Buy. Weʼre making significant changes to our cost rental and affordable housing funding models meaning that local authorities and AHBʼs can deliver homes at lower rents and significantly discounted prices. These are real supports for those people, both young and not so young, who want to own their own home.

“In 2023, 11,830 social homes will be delivered including 9,100 new build homes, building on our 2022 targets. 9,600 new households will have their needs met through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rent Assistance Scheme (RAS) – these represent direct supports for renting households.

“I know that we all share concerns at the ongoing challenge posed by homelessness. That is why funding of €215 million will be made available for the delivery of homeless services. This funding will ensure that local authorities can provide homeless preventions services, emergency accommodation and other services to households experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, and that households experiencing homelessness are supported to exit homelessness to tenancies as quickly as possible. The funding will also maintain a number of important measures introduced during COVID-19.

“I am also happy to add that funding is also available for a range of measures to tackle vacancy and the better utilisation of existing stock, and to support people in their existing homes through retrofitting, upgrading and maintenance programmes. Our new vacant property grant of up to € 50,000 is proving very popular and Government are set to extend it further in the coming weeks. This will help to revitalise communities, towns and villages across the state – as will our further funding to support the regeneration and rejuvenation of our towns and cities under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF).

“Separately today, I brought a memo to Government on the recently published report of the Working Group to Examine Defects in Housing. I advised my Cabinet colleagues that my department will now establish an inter-departmental and agency group to bring forward specific proposals to Government by the end of the year. Iʼve always talked of this issue as a nettle to grasp and we are doing so. The group will also develop a timeframe for implementation of any agreed actions.

“Finally, I would like to point to our significant funding of €1.68 billion secured for the delivery of water services in 2023 – this is a significant increase of over €110 million -primarily composed of an additional €48 million capital investment by Irish Water critical to supporting the delivery of housing committed to in Housing for All. This continued investment in water generally, and in particular Irish Water as a national, publicly-owned standalone regulated utility, will ensure the continued operation, repair and upgrading of Irelandʼs water and waste water infrastructure.”

Key highlights of todayʼs Budget announcement for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage include:

• €1.3 billion investment will support an overall package of measures to deliver more affordable housing including 5,550 households supported to buy or rent at an affordable price

•continued delivery of Cost Rental Homes with 1,850 to be delivered next year via Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) facility and Affordable Housing Fund (AHF)

• €90 million under the AHF to also support the delivery of 1,200 affordable purchase homes

• €50 million for First Home Scheme delivering approx. 2,000 homes next year

•11,830 new social homes to be delivered, including 9,100 new builds

•9,600 new households to be supported under HAP and RAS

• €215 million, a 10% increase on 2022, to ensure local authorities and our NGO partners can provide homeless prevention services, emergency accommodation and other services and funding to help us achieve our target of creating 1,300 new Housing First tenancies

• €136 million to support the advancement of 132 Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) supported projects already approved and for the targeted expansion of the programme to accelerate new supply and tackle vacancy in towns as part of the Town Centres First approach

• €219 million to fund programmes and supports for disabled people, older people and Travellers

• €65 million is being provided to remediate homes affected by defects including Pyrite and Defective Concrete Blocks

• €87 million to support alleviation of fuel poverty and ensure more energy efficient homes, through the upgrading of 2,400 local authority social homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 or cost optimal equivalent, in line with Climate Action Plan

• €1.6 billion allocated to Water Services for 2023 - a significant increase of €110 million to improve water quality and support Irish Water

• €333 million to support local authorities in their work - an increase of €108 million on funding from the Local Government Fund in 2022

• € 147.5 million for the Heritage sector - an increase of 10.5 % - and a continued commitment to addressing heritage and biodiversity needs, including funding of €52.6 million for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (a significant increase of 20%)

Regarding funding for Local Authorities, Minister of State Burke added: “On the vital local government sector, we will be making a contribution of € 333 million to support local authorities in their work in 2023. This represents an increase of €108 million on core funding from the Local Government Fund in 2022. Our Local Authorities carry out over one thousand services and are the closest arm of the State to the citizen, providing front line support every day.

“This additional funding will ensure that all local authorities, including those with weaker property tax bases, have a minimum level of funding available to them that is separate to programme funding. This significant increase year-on-year is due to the move to 100% retention of Local Property Tax within the local authority area. As a result, all equalisation funding is now met by the exchequer.

“The work of our department is not just about funding programmes but improving the lives of our citizens. I want to particularly welcome the increase in funding for housing adaptation grants. With a capital provision of €67 million next year, I would expect that this will allow some 12,300 grants to be made. This scheme is absolutely critical in ensuring that the physical accommodation needs of our older and disabled people are met. Furthermore, funding of €3 million will support a range of initiatives for disabled and older people. This includes a capital provision of €1.3 million which will deliver innovative pilot schemes to support older homeowners with their specific accommodation requirements and €25 million is being provided for a dedicated funding stream for adaptation grants for local authority owned social homes.

“Housing for older people and people with a disability is funded from our mainstream capital programmes. These programmes include social housing in local authorities, as well as the Capital Assistance Scheme, which provides funding to Approved Housing Bodies for specialist housing. €97 million will be provided for the Capital Assistance Scheme in 2023 and I expect many older people with a need to benefit from that.” With regard to investment in Heritage, Minister of State Noonan pointed out:

“Todayʼs increased funding for Heritage represents our continued commitment to address significant historic underfunding of heritage and biodiversity and realises many of the commitments set out in the Programme for Government.

“In particular, I am pleased to announce a significant increase in funding that will allow work to continue on the timely and effective implementation of the governmentʼs Strategic Action Plan for the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The National Parks and Wildlife Service will receive €52.6 million in programme funding, in addition to a significant increase in staffing resources. Combined with EU funding for LIFE Programmes and an expansion of the Local Authority Biodiversity Officers Programme through the Heritage Council, this gives us an effective total funding for nature and biodiversity of over €90 million.

“This will enable the continued reform and renewal of the organisation, significant investment in nature conservation, in our habitats and species, and in our national parks and nature reserves. And, as importantly, in the rangers and conservation staff the drive the organisation forward. With increased visitor numbers to our beautiful National Parks and Reserves, this additional funding will continue to ensure visitors safety as well as supporting sustainable tourism. It also ensures the enhanced protection and preservation of the natural environments of all our National Parks and Nature Reserves.

“Expanding the programme of biodiversity investment and the restoration and conservation of protected habitats will also be enabled by todayʼs Budget. This includes raised bog compensation and financial incentives schemes, in line with national biodiversity and climate action objectives and Just Transition policy. The implementation of Heritage Ireland 2030, Irelandʼs heritage plan published in February 2022, will also be supported and todayʼs funding will also ensure the protection and promotion of our much-loved monuments and historic buildings.”

Kinder to the Bank Balance as well as the Environment!

As we all look toward savings on outgoings as we come into winter, boiler efficiency is high on the list for consumers, installers, and the industry as a whole.

In the past, the boilers used in our homes typically had an efficiency of 60%, resulting in 40% of their energy being lost. Some of these older standard efficiency boilers are still in use in homes today.

Over the past number of years Firebird, manufacturer of high-performance heating solutions, has dedicated significant resources and invested heavily in developing products with increased fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and which use more renewable and sustainable fuel sources.

Thanks to this drive towards innovation, Firebird now has the most efficient condensing oil boiler on the market at 97.5% efficiency and NOx emissions as low as 60mg/kWhr, half the EU limits.

Research from The Sutherland Tables September 2022 findings*, shows that by upgrading from a standard efficiency boiler in a house built in the 1980ʼs to a high efficiency condensing boiler, the average savings on heating bills can be as much as €1,300 per year.

As one recent Firebird Trustpilot reviewer stated “My oil doesn't go down as quick and it gets hotter quicker".

These savings would help to alleviate the current pressure on households and businesses which have seen home heating oil almost double in price. Plus, by using less oil, these boilers are much kinder to the environment, as well as to the bank balance!

Firebirdʼs boilers are also fully compatible with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). A viable and sustainable drop-in replacement to Kerosene, HVO is fossil free and can reduce household emissions by up to 90%. Leading the charge in innovation, Firebird has trialled and tested HVO in Ireland and the UK to prove that it can be implemented almost immediately. The conversion requires little or no modification to existing home heating systems - no significant investment beyond a small conversion cost, (approx. €400) to upgrade to a Firebird by Elco HVO burner.

Mark Doyle, General Manager with Firebird explained how the introduction of HVO for household and commercial boilers would be an instant game-changer for home heating. “There are 1.5 million or so homes with existing liquid fuel boilers in Ireland with few other choices available for homeowners to adopt cleaner, greener heat solutions.” he stated.

“HVO can work with any liquid fuel boiler and if used in homes, can potentially make these homes almost carbon neutral immediately. Our trials of HVO for home heating in Ireland have proven how household greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 90% with CO2 emissions decreasing by up to six tonnes annually, per home.”

Mark Doyle added: “We at Firebird passionately believe that we all have a part to play to reduce carbon emissions and we believe HVO is not the future, itʼs the “now”. We are continuing to innovate and drive more sustainable heating solutions that help homeowners reduce their carbon footprint and future-proof their homes. Our responsibility to our customers and the environment are the key drivers behind everything we do.” Firebirdʼs manufacturing site in Ireland and offices in England and Northern Ireland are already fuelled by HVO and the benefits can be seen every day. For

Solving the Hybrid Challenge

As we move towards 2023, itʼs more than apparent that the hybrid model of work is here to stay. For those who are not place dependent to be able to carry out their work, the hybrid model makes sense for employers and employees alike.

Whilst hybrid has bedded in this year, post-pandemic, the challenges remain however to ensure that whilst colleagues are working remotely, they still feel connected to their team, and that service levels are maintained to the highest standards.

IP Telecomʼs solution suit for business is built with hybrid and remote working in mind. Our communications systems are location agnostic, so whether you are in the office, working from home or onsite – calls to your deskphone number ring wherever you are. Simultaneously or in sequence, calls can ring on desk phones, mobile devices and PC/Mac devices.

And because our VoIP based solutions utilise data packages, calls to mobile avoid expensive forwarding to mobile. Internal calls between mobiles, via data, are treated as internal calls within the organisation and thus are free of charge. Video conferencing and calling are also included as standard within all our packages.

Our suite of products also includes a dynamic new reporting suite known as Dimensions. This allows supervisors and management the ability to have an exceptional overview of callersʼ experiences, whoʼs answering calls, wait times and call outcomes, with real time and historical data to ensure that callers are getting the best possible experiences. Furthermore, our system integrates fully with CRM systems and other software to give both staff and callers exceptional experiences, no matter where they are located, maintaining staff connection and high degrees of caller service.

IP Telecom is an independent, Irish-based, purely B2B service. We help thousands of businesses, NGOs and state bodies deliver exceptional experiences for staff and callers alike.

Talk to us today or visit www.iptelecom.ie

Rory Whelan is Head of Marketing for

IP Telecom

Áit Urbanism + Landscape Ltd Irish Landscape Institute Awards 2022

Established in 2009 , Áit Urbanism + Landscape Ltd is an award winning design practice based in Dublin with live projects throughout Ireland. Our team is multi-disciplinary with expertise in Landscape Architecture, Landscape Planning, Urban Design, and LVIA, with a client base in both the private and public sectors. Áit have strong working relationships with a wide range of consultants in the construction industry , working closely with established architects, ecologists, archaeologists, civil, roads, mechanical and lighting engineers and quantity surveyors.

We have won numerous Awards for Design and Planning ; in areas such as Placemaking, Biodiversity, Linear Landscapes (Active Travel Schemes), Responsive Urban and Rural Design, Public Realm Design, Greening Strategies and many more. Through our work with local authorities we have extensive experience in community participation through the public consultation process which we feel is key to informing a design process with the most successful outcomes.

In conjunction with our private and public sector portfolio of clients, we are project landscape architects on a number of social housing projects with not-for-profit organisations such Clúid Housing and The Simon Community. We are also project landscape architects with OBFA (OʼBrien Finnucane Architects) on a ʻHousing with Supportʼ scheme in Richmond Place in Inchicore, Dublin 8. This is a partnership between approved housing body Circle VHA and ALONE, to design, build and deliver the scheme, as part of the Governmentʼs Demonstrator Project under Housing for All, jointly commissioned by Dublin City Council.

Some of our most prestigious awards include:

Irish Landscape Institute Design Awards 2022

Winner-Landscape Planning-Fingal County Council & Áit Urbanism + Landscape-Lanesborough Park Winner-Planting Design Award 2022-Supervalu Sundrive Road

Highly Commended- Landscape Planning-Fingal County Council & Áit Urbanism + Landscape-Bremore Regional Park

Highly Commended-Residential Development (Biodiversity) Award 2022-Rostrevor Place

Commended-Linear Landscapes Award 2022-N81 Cycle Scheme

Irish Landscape Institute Design Awards 2020

Winner – The North-East Inner City Greening Strategy with Dublin City Council

N81 Cycle Scheme

Thomas Street / High Street

Lanesborough Park development

Commended – Francis Street Public Realm Improvement Plan with Dublin City Council

CBRE Inaugural Urban Land Institute ʻExcellence in Placemaking Awardʼ 2019

Overall Dublin Winner & Overall National Winner - Weaver Park: Cork Street Dublin 8 with Dublin City Council

National Planning Awards 2016

Commended, Responsive Urban and Rural Design-Public Realm Design Code for Limerick Regeneration.

Irish Landscape Institute Design Awards 2015

Highly Commended - The Liberties Greening Strategy with Dublin City Council

CIRCLE VHA CELEBRATES FIRST DIRECT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WITH GROUNDBREAKING EVENT AT RICHMOND PLACE MARKING A UNIQUE NEW MODEL OF HOUSING AND CARE PROVISION IN IRELAND IN COLLABORATION WITH ALONE

WITH SUPPORTʼ TOOLKIT LAUNCH TO SET BENCHMARK FOR FUTURE OF INDEPENDENT LIVING FOR THE OVER 55ʼs COMMUNITY

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy together with Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh OʼBrien and key stakeholders came together to launch The Housing Agency ʻHousing with Supportʼ toolkit and celebrate the ground breaking for the first development under the scheme at Richmond Place, Inchicore Dublin 8.

Housing with Support (HwS) is a new model of housing and care provision in Ireland. It is underpinned by ageappropriate housing and universal design principles including own door living with onsite staff supports (nonmedical), to allow people to live with dignity and independence for as long as possible and to continue to live in their community. Richmond Place is a successful partnership between approved housing body Circle VHA and ALONE, to design, build and deliver the first ʻHousing with Supportʼ scheme in Ireland, as part of the Governmentʼs Demonstrator Project under Housing for All, jointly commissioned by Dublin City Council (who were delighted to transfer the land for Richmond Place to Circle VHA and thank DCC Councillors for approving the transfer), and the HSE.

The ʼHousing with Supportʼ model is intended to set a new standard for the future of housing provision for older people and to act as an exemplar for others to follow. Speaking at the launch Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh OʼBrien said:

“As set out in our Housing for All plan, the Government are working to ensure we have an age friendly Ireland in which older people can live long and healthy lives, participate in their communities and have a range of housing options and health supports to make this possible. I want to commend Circle, ALONE and Dublin City Council who are working on this project with the HSE. This ʻHousing with Supportʼ model is one which Government would like to see replicated nationally, the toolkit launched today will support us to do just that and I look forward to seeing this development progress,” he concluded.

At the ground breaking at Richmond Place today, Circle VHA CEOJohn Hannigan celebrated the kickstart to the first phase of the ʻHousing with Supportʼ demonstrator model, Circleʼs first construction project, which will deliver 52 homes, due for completion in Q2 2024. For the over 55ʼs community, these are lifetime adaptable homes with communal space on the ground floor for socialising, green spaces and comprising of 1 and half bedrooms designed for a family member to stay to support their loved one, ensure adequate storage for aids and appliances to support the person remaining at home or to ensure a person can continue to engage in their leisure and hobby activities. Care support will be provided by Alone in line with the supports provided to the community, but as the carers will be onsite the needs of each individual can be continually assessed and care can be tailored to the needs in a timely manner.

ʻHOUSING

“The team at Circle VHA are delighted with the opportunity to design, build and operate this unique development and to collaborate with Alone to bring together a range of services and supports for older people.

As a prototype with the potential for national rollout, we would like to see and be in a position to deliver more of these projects across Ireland. This development is 100% grant funded by CAS (Capital Assistance Scheme) funding with a contribution from the HSE / Department of Health towards additional communal facilities for the residents. Although the construction of the development is fully funded, there is no form of funding model that is ideally suited to this type of scheme which makes it incredibly challenging to deliver more developments of this type. The current CAS funding model does not allow for specialist communal facilities within the development which are often needed for older people. Further to this, there is a serious challenge with the long-term funding of maintenance for the development as there is no existing mechanism to adequately cover all future costs of these such things. To overcome these gaps in funding, there is a need for a more specific funding model to be designed if there are to be more developments for people over 55 in our communities going forward. We look forward to completing the project with our contractors and partners and to welcoming the tenants into their new homes.”

The ʻHousing with Supportʼ project is a result of work carried out by the Dublin City Age Friendly Housing Working Group (HWG) to design an integrated housing scheme for older people that allows them to remain in their own homes as long as possible. ALONE is pioneering this new model to Ireland which incorporates universal design principles with technology solutions, to provide:

•Age-appropriate designed homes in the right location

•Independent living – lifetime adaptable homes with own front door.

•ʻPerson-centredʼ, ʻflexibleʼ supports through an ʻablementʼ and ʻre-ablementʼ approach. Keeping, gaining and re-gaining the skills and confidence to live independently.

•24/7 staff on site and care support during the day (non-medical) with individual support plans optimising their functional ability, delivering activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) for those who need it.

•Community integration – support older people to establish and maintain links in their community, mitigating social isolation placing an emphasis on health and wellbeing.

•Support Coordination – coordination of supports and services for older people, such as but not limited to local services, health and medical, financial, social welfare and housing.

Sean Moynihan, ALONE CEO says: “One of the core principles of ALONE has always been to protect and support the right of older people to age at home on their terms, with access to any additional supports that they may need to ensure a good quality of life. We are delighted to be breaking ground on this pilot project today. After 7 years of campaigning and work by countless people from so many organisations and arms of the state . Housing with Support is a model for older peopleʼs housing that is more sustainable, suitable and cost effective for those who can no longer live in their own home without extra care than the alternatives. We know that delivery of Housing with Support in Richmond Place is a path finder project and itʼs role is to ensure we gain the knowledge so the model can be copied across the country.”

This also marks the launch of The Housing Agency ʻHousing with Supportʼ toolkit, with an aim to provide a guide for social housing providers interested in developing ʻHousing with Supportʼ projects for older people. The Toolkit outlines the key stages and steps to take when considering a ʻHousing with Supportʼ project from the initial concept, or idea, to the commissioning of an Approved Housing Body to design, planning, funding and construction and will set the benchmark for the future of independent living for the over 55ʼs community in Ireland.

HSE are very happy to be part of this project since itʼs initiation phase and look forward to working closely with the key stakeholders in delivering this multi collaborative approach to supporting older people in their community.

Minister opens Lahinch Leisure Centre and Lahinch Water Safety Training and Rescue Centre

In July, Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD officially opened Lahinch Leisure Centre and Lahinch Water Safety Training and Rescue Centre.

At the event, Minister Humphreys said: “ʻOur Rural Futureʼ is just over a year old – but its impact throughout rural Ireland has been significant. Right across the country, we are delivering unprecedented regeneration of our towns and villages. We are taking old buildings and sites and giving them a new purpose, a new lease of life. Thatʼs exactly what has happened here at this first-class facility in Lahinch.”

The € 6m revamp of Lahinch Leisure Centre was funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development through the RRDF, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the TOMAR Trust, LEADER, Clare County Council and local fundraising.

Cllr Tony OʼBrien, Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council, said: “Today is about the future and a fantastic modern facility that is ready to serve another generation of residents and visitors to Lahinch, and the entire North and West Clare area.”

Noeleen Fitzgerald, Director of Finance and Support Services, Clare County Council, who led the Lahinch Leisure Centre Project Technical Team, said: “The completion of this project is a wonderful example of a local community group working successfully with many partners. The project demonstrates how collaboration can deliver real investment and ensure we have sustainable regional development throughout the county.”

Minister Humphreys concluded: “As Minister with responsibility for water safety, I want to take this opportunity to recognise the extraordinary roles played by our Coastguard, our emergency services, our lifeguards, and volunteers.”

The Minister added that she looks forward to Lahinch Water Safety Training and Rescue Centre being used to provide the training and development of our volunteers to continue the vital work in keeping the public as safe on the water as possible.

Pictured at the official opening of Lahinch Leisure Centre in County Clare on 18th July, 2022, were (l-r): Cllr Tony OʼBrien, Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council; Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD; Noeleen Fitzgerald, Director of Finance and Support Services, Clare County Council; and Eoin Conlan, Lahinch Leisure Centre Manager. Photo: Eamon Ward.

Three Castles Conservation Project, Galway City

In 2020, Galway City Council appointed a multidisciplinary design team to oversee a programme of essential conservation works to three monuments on the outskirts of the City: Doughiska (Merlin) Castle, Tirellan (Terryland) Castle and Menlough Castle.

This followed several years of allocating capital funds towards their conservation in order to implement the recommendations of conservation management plans prepared in 2015 and funded by the Heritage Council, and Galway City Council.

In 2021, when Covid-19 restrictions allowed, conservation works were carried out to all three monuments. The works to Tirellan Castle and Menlough Castle were also supported by a grant under the Community Monuments Fund 2021 and 2022, administered by the National Monuments Service.

Doughiska (Merlin) Castle

Melin Castle is a recorded National Monument located within Merlin Park Woods, one of the Galway ʻcity parksʼ. The building is an important example of the tower house form and contains almost every architectural and decorative feature associated with this building type. The archaeological site extends over a wider area, and incorporates the remains of other buildings and defences – the full extent of this has yet to be established. The building and its immediate setting have been subject to damage through vandalism, and some unsuccessful earlier interventions that were intended to provide some level of protection to the structure.

Some of the works undertaken are pictured.

Repair and consolidation works to entrance to spiral stairs

Reconstructed ogee window head from twelve limestone fragmentsnew water spout

Menlo Castle

Menlo Castle, the historic seat of the Blake Family, is located on the east Bank of the River Corrib adjacent to Menlo Village. The very large structure is a well-known landmark and a beautiful ruin. The building was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1910, and has been a ruin ever since.

The castle site was divided by the land commissioners in 1923. Part of the estate, which includes the castle, was compulsorily purchased by Galway City Council, to take care of the monument. The building and site are a Recorded Archaeological Monument and a Protected Structure. There are now City Development Plan policies and a City Council decision to preserve the building as a ruin.

The castle, and historical elements of its immediate setting, have been neglected for more than a century. As a result, parts of the building are in a dangerous condition. The building is both an important, and possibly unique, example of both a Jacobean defended house and a Victorian Gothic Tower house mansion, and contains several unusual fewer house/architectural features. The castle is also a protected habitat for lesser horseshoe bats, barn owls and kestrels.

The first stage of works involved the trimming and removal of ivy, which revealed the original fabric of the building.

Works are well advanced at Menlough Castle – coming close to completion for the proposed works to the tower house section. The north gable was at immediate risk of collapse – stonework had to be rebuilt behind the wall to support it and the new lintels that will tie across, all to keep it in place.

Brick oven discovered during works on site 20th September 2022

Tirellan Castle

Tirellan Castle is an important 17th century castle and defensive bawn, located in Terryland Forest Park. The castle was originally built to defend an important river crossing point from Galway into Connemara, and is visible to the thousands of people who cross the Quincentennial Bridge nearby.

The castle is a Recorded Monument, in the ownership of Galway City Council.

The castle has been in ruins since the Williamite Wars (1691), when it was burned to prevent it being used as a base from which to attack Galway City.

The east wall of the building was in need of repair. The distintively profiled north gable wall and chimneys are architecutral features associated with this building type.

There is currently a steel palisade fence around part of the archaelogical site – but this is unlikely to be effective in the longer term, and interventions are needed to secure the building structure and to make adjustments to its setting.

Views of the Castle prior to conservation works

Chequerboard patterns in the wall plaster were identified on the chimney stacks during the work, which have survived in this exposed location for over 400 years.

This is a very rare find, and it was decided to have the Discovery Programme scan the chimneys with lasers to create these images as a record, before they were repaired and given a protective coating. In this way the craftsmanship and beauty of the decorative plastering can be studied and appreciated.

A publication of the results of the works is being funded by the Heritage Council and Galway City Council.

For further details contact Dr. Jim Higgins Heritage / Conservation Officer and Ann Marie Cusack Executive Architect at Galway City Council, City Hall, College Road, Galway

The temporary steel and timber structure has now been removed.

The teripartite chimney prior to the conservation works

All Aboard / Trains Planes and Automobiles

Access All Areas

The future of Public Transport and the Built Environment in Ireland

Ireland has 650,000 people with disabilities according the 2016 census, we also have another 600,000 people who are over 65 years of age. This huge population is our parents, our families, and our friends, it is all of us and currently this important part of our population is overlooked.

People with disabilities are less likely to use public transport, less likely to engage with the public realm because it poses huge problems for them. These problems then cause difficulties in gaining employment, accessing education, it causes difficulties around poverty because living with a disability is more expensive, it leads to higher level of mental health issues and finally it leads to poorer overall health outcomes.

The National Council for the Blind of Ireland, supported by the National Transport Authority, Dublin City Council and Smurfit Kappa Ireland are developing the worlds first total Wayfinding Centre in Glasnevin in Dublin.

Located in the 35,000 square foot structure former Smurfit Kappa printing works on Botanic Road in Glasnevin, an iconic piece of Dublin architecture that has been abandoned for over a decade and is now being repurposed and brought back into impactful national public use.

The Wayfinding Centre will open in Summer 2023 and uniquely will house all the modes of public transport currently operating in Ireland, this will include a Double Decker Bus, a Bus Eireann Coach, an Irish Rail carriage, a LUAS carriage and an Airbus A319 along with all the associated street, platform and airport furniture that can be such obstacles to the elderly and people with disabilities. As modes of transport change, so too will The Wayfinding Centre, the proposed Dublin Metro will be in the centre when it is fully operational.

The Wayfinding Centre has five key purposes which will change the view of disability, accessibility, and the built environment forever in Ireland.

Firstly, it will offer transport training to everyone with a disability in the country, building on the impressive work already offered by the transport operators, The Wayfinding Centre will be able to increase the scale and volume of the training provided currently. It will give time and space to people with disabilities to become familiar with the inside of bus, plane or train.

Secondly, the Wayfinding Centre will provide training to the 40,000 people who work for transport operators in Ireland, enabling them to support and understand their customers more effectively.

Thirdly, we are partnering with Technology University Dublin, Dublin City University and University College London to offer training modules in the centre on accessibility and the built environment to all their under graduates who are undertaking course related to the built environment (Architecture, Engineering, Surveying, Planning) to ensure that future planning of the Irish built environment includes disability consideration and incorporates accessibility in a way which it doesnʼt currently. This approach is also more effective and cheaper than continual retro fitting.

Similarly, we are engaged with the nations professional bodies who represent the qualified engineers and architects to offer them Continuing Professional Development Seminars in the centre, again with the intention of raising awareness about accessibility and including it in design from the beginning.

Fourthly, we are looking at engaging with local authorities and local and national policy makers. Inclusive design in the built environment is still a concept that many organisations struggle to determine what suits the most / best need, how to manage differing demands from different groups, the needs of wheelchair users can be different to the needs of people with sight loss, so how can local authorities make the right decision.

The Wayfinding Centre has 10,000 square feet of Innovation space, essentially empty space that can be mocked up to represent a proposed new crossing, a new interchange, a variation of a street layout, how a bus stop interacts with a cycle lane. All and anything can be prepared and user tested by people with disabilities to see which option works best.

This Innovation Space – The Wayfinding Lab is unique in Ireland and offers the opportunity for local authorities to be innovative, consultative and inclusive all at the same time. Offering two dimension maps of proposed changes to people with disabilities leads to limited understanding around the proposal, the ability to showcase change in full scale makes consultation much easier and meaningful.

Finally, the Wayfinding Centre will be in a position to lead on National Disability Standards. We currently have very limited national standards around how the built environment supports people with disabilities, transport operators differ, local authorities differ, interpretations differ and all these differences lead to poor outcomes for people with disabilities.

The Wayfinding Centre will be in a position to showcase good practice, highlight good standards and promote the adoption of both by all organisations with responsibilities for our island.

This project is an outstanding example of how not for profits can collaborate with the private sector, the State Sector, the Education Sector, Local Government and the Transport Sector to improve the experience of one of the most marginalised groups in our society.

The Wayfinding Centre will be available to every local authority in the country to use, it will be available to every person with disabilities and it will make a generational contribution to how we view our environment.

Author: Chris White, CEO, NCBI: National Council for the Blind of Ireland.

About NCBI: NCBI is the national sight loss organisation, working for people with sight loss.

We provide practical and emotional support, rehabilitation services, and other training designed to help people with sight loss live independently and confidently.

Services Offered:

•Rehabilitation training, including independent living skills and mobility training, and availability of low vision solutions such as magnifiers or other aids.

•Assistive technology advice and training to learn how to access all accessibility features in mainstream technology as well as the latest gadgets and apps all designed to assist people living with sight loss.

•Advice and information on statutory entitlements, eye conditions, support available, etc.

•Emotional support and counselling for people struggling to come to terms with sight loss.

•Library offering an extensive range of digital, large print, Braille, and audiobooks.

•ELCO or The Eye Clinic Liaison Officer service provides practical and emotional support to both patients and their families at the point of diagnosis operating out of the Mater University Hospital, Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, CHI at Temple Street, and Crumlin Childrenʼs Hospital.

•NCBI Resource Centres provide day opportunities to service users, these Resource Centres are located in Dublin and Wexford.

•Employment advice for job seekers and employers to maximize the recruitment and retention of staff who are blind or vision impaired

Drinking water quality is high but increased vigilance is needed by Irish Water and Local Authorities to protect public health, says EPA.

•The quality of drinking water from public supplies remains high, with over 99.7% of samples compliant with bacterial and chemical limits.

•Two significant incidents during 2021 at the Gorey and Ballymore Eustace water treatment plants put the health of approximately 885,000 people at risk, highlighting significant failings in oversight and management by Irish Water.

•The number of supplies breaching THM standards increased in 2021, reversing all progress seen in recent years.

•Progress to remove lead from drinking water networks is too slow, with the need for stronger leadership at national level.

•The number of people served by “at-risk” supplies on the EPAʼs Remedial Action List (RAL) has reduced, arising from upgrade works at two large water supplies: Leixlip and Vartry water treatment plants.

7th October 2022: The EPA Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies Report 2021 released today, shows that the quality of drinking water in public supplies remains high, with over 99.7% compliance with bacterial and chemical limits. The continued high levels of water quality being achieved are positive for consumers and indicate that water is safe to drink.

However, there were two significant incidents during 2021 at the Gorey and Ballymore Eustace water treatment plants that put the health of approximately 885,000 people at risk, with community illness and hospitalisations occurring in the Gorey incident. These highlighted significant failings in oversight and management by Irish Water and local authorities. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) instructed Irish Water to implement a number of actions at all supplies, to prevent the reoccurrence of similar issues. As a result of these actions, more drinking water quality issues were detected and reported, with the number of Boil Water Notices increasing significantly in the last quarter of 2021. The total number of people affected by Boil Water Notices in 2021 was approx. 211,000.

Launching the report, Dr Tom Ryan, EPA Director said: “The serious incidents at Gorey and Ballymore Eustace water treatment plants last year, which resulted in unsafe water being released for consumption, have highlighted Irish Waterʼs fundamental obligation to ensure our public water supplies are properly operated, and managed, to protect public health. Increased vigilance is needed by Irish Water and Local Authorities in their oversight and management of plant operations to ensure incidents are dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner.”

Dr Ryan added: “Boil water notices are affecting an increasing number of consumers and while we recognise the challenges these present to individuals and communities, they are necessary to protect public health. High incidences of boil water notices will remain with us until Irish Water improves the resilience of drinking water plants.”

While water is safe today, the EPAʼs Remedial Action List of “at-risk” supplies identifies where long-term improvements are needed in our drinking water infrastructure to protect public health. Following EPA targeted enforcement, supplies upgraded in 2021 include Vartry (serves approx. 127,000) and Leixlip (serves approx. 590,000) water treatment plants. At the end of 2021, there were 52 “at-risk” supplies serving approx. 375,000 people down from >1,000,000 consumers in 2020.

However, the latest publication of the RAL (Sept 2022) has seen some of this progress eroded, with the population served by “at-risk” supplies increasing to approx. 575,000. Furthermore, the length of time it takes to implement improvements at supplies is not acceptable to the EPA as it means these supplies remain vulnerable for longer. The EPA requires that Irish Water targets investment and resources to both reduce the number of supplies on the RAL, and the time it takes to implement these improvements.

Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager, said: “It is welcome to see how targeted enforcement has led to significant improvements at large supplies such as Leixlip and Vartry, supporting the security of these critical water supplies into the future. However, in order for supplies to be secure into the future, Irish Water must resolve the “at-risk” supplies on the RAL and ensure that future actions are targeted where they are most needed to protect public health. In particular, the deterioration in compliance with THM standards needs to be addressed as a matter of priority”.

Lead in drinking water causes a cumulative risk to human health. The EPA is highlighting the slow rate of lead replacement by Irish Water, as it will take almost a quarter of a century to address the risks posed to public health from lead in drinking water at the replacement rate observed in 2021. In addition, leadership is required at a national level by relevant Departments to address this issue. A report from these Departments on assessments of lead pipework in public buildings and plans to remove lead from these buildings is overdue. The EPA Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies 2021 Report and the complete list of public water supplies currently on the Remedial Action List - including details of the proposed remedial measures and associated timeframes - are available on the EPA website.

Since 2014 60% of raw sewage discharges by volume have been eliminated

The latest EPA Urban Wastewater Treatment Report for 2021 recognises the ongoing progress being made by Irish Water in upgrading Irelandʼs public wastewater infrastructure while also highlighting the need for continued investment in our essential wastewater services.

Since 2014 when Irish Water assumed responsibility for public water services, 60% of raw sewage discharges by volume have been eliminated through targeted investment in new sewerage infrastructure where none existed previously, and we are on target to eliminate nearly all of the remainder by 2025.

This has been achieved by building new wastewater plants and networks in 21 towns across the country where treatment had never existed before. This new infrastructure has stopped the discharge of about 20 million litres of raw sewage every day, which equates to the sewage generated by over 100,000 people. In 2021/2022 we have made significant progress, with 14 new locations where contracts were signed and/or projects started on site, leaving just 15 areas (representing less than 10% of the total volume of raw sewage discharge) to start from 2023 onwards. In some of these areas Irish Water overcame complex planning and approval issues, such as in Arklow where construction of a new wastewater treatment plant got underway in 2021 to end the discharge of raw sewage into the River Avoca.

Another major milestone was reached last year with the completion of the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage project which ended the discharge of raw sewage from the equivalent of 20,000 homes and businesses in Cobh, Ringaskiddy, Carrigaline, Crosshaven, Monkstown and Passage West in Cork.

Irish Waterʼs Infrastructure Delivery Director Brian Sheehan said, “Irish Water is committed to protecting and enhancing our natural environment by ensuring the highest standards are applied to wastewater treatment throughout Ireland. We have prioritised key programmes such as the elimination of raw sewage and upgrading of existing infrastructure. This approach is focussed on the catchments where wastewater is a significant pressure on water quality and where the investment of public money will make a meaningful difference to overall water quality.

“The scale of delivery of this critical infrastructure is unprecedented: last year we invested €367 million in Irelandʼs wastewater – the highest ever in a single year – and we are on track to increase that further over the coming years as we strive to deliver best in class wastewater services for Ireland now and in the future.

“We have seen the impact of these improvements in areas such as Shannon, Co Clare and Cork City where we completed upgrades in 2021. Local residents and businesses are already seeing the benefits of this investment in cleaner waters, improved natural environment and increased opportunities for housing and economic development.”

Irish Waterʼs targeted programme of investment in existing wastewater infrastructure is also reaping benefits for communities around the country. The building of new treatment plants and upgrading of existing ones has led to continued improvements in the quality of receiving waters. Compliance rates with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive remain strong at 93% of plants - up from 81% in 2015. Of those that remain, almost 90% of the total wastewater load that is not yet in compliance with the Directive is represented by the Ringsend agglomeration. Irish Water is currently investing over € 500 million in the staged upgrading of Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant which will deliver the capacity to treat the wastewater for a population equivalent of 2.4 million while achieving the standards of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive by 2025. Irish Water also has plans in place to address any outstanding issues at the remaining non-compliant plants.

As a result of this progress, the impact of urban wastewater on catchment waters has continued to reduce. In the first River Basin Management Plan, prior to the establishment of Irish Water, urban wastewater was identified as the second most dominant pressure on receiving waters; this has now reduced to the fourth and we expect that, by 2027, urban wastewater will be down to seventh, which demonstrates our commitment to improve overall water quality in Irelandʼs rivers, lakes and seas. This reflects the significant progress being made by Irish Water in upgrading wastewater infrastructure and optimising operations at wastewater treatment plants.

Wastewater infrastructure upgrade due to commence in Boherbue

Irish Water is delighted to announce that construction to upgrade the wastewater infrastructure for the Boherbue area has commenced. This important project, being delivered in partnership with Cork County Council, will ensure that wastewater is adequately treated before being discharged into the Brogeen River.

Speaking about today's milestone, Anthony Kavanagh, Asset Delivery Regional Lead with Irish Water said, “We are delighted to be delivering this important project on behalf of the people of Boherbue.

“Currently the existing wastewater infrastructure in the village is overloaded and outdated. The effluent does not consistently meet the standard required by the EPA licence and some parameters of the licence cannot be achieved with the assets that are currently in place.

“The modernisation and improvement of the wastewater infrastructure will ensure that cleaner and safer effluent is being discharged into the Brogeen River and will accommodate further growth in the Boherbue area.”

“We are aiming to install over 100 solar panels, generating clean, renewable energy which will improve energy efficiency at the plant and reduce carbon emissions.” Anthony added.

Glan Agua, who are carrying out the works on behalf of Irish Water, are expected to have the construction completed in early 2024.

The project involves decommissioning of the existing plant and its associated structures, and construction of the new facility on the same site in Laharn West, new inlet works, a stormwater tank, biological treatment process, tertiary solids removal, sludge drying reed beds, and a solar panel farm. The project will also reuse the existing constructed wetlands to maintain habitats for animals and plants.

The scheme is one of several Early Contractor Involvement projects to incorporate solar into the siteʼs electricity needs and reduce carbon emissions.

This, coupled with the use of natural sludge drying reed beds and the constructed wetlands, improves the sustainability of Boherbue wastewater treatment plant.

Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support growth in our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.

Results of trial winter operation of UV treatment system at Ringsend wastewater treatment plant published

Irish Water has published the results of the trial operation of the ultraviolet (UV) treatment at the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant during the winter period.

Irish Water undertook the trial in response to concerns raised by sea swimmers and public representatives about the quality of bathing water outside of the bathing season in Dublin Bay.

An accompanying study of the data collected sought to establish if the operation of the UV treatment system at the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) would have benefits for bathing water quality during the winter period.

The UV system was trialled over the period from September 2021 –January 2022. The evidencebased assessment included an intensive sampling programme of 3,100 bacterial samples from 15 key locations as well as a water quality modelling to assess the likely impacts of the winter operation of the UV system on water quality at bathing sites in Dublin Bay.

Detailed analysis of the data collected did not demonstrate any material improvement in bathing water quality at bathing locations in Dublin Bay as a result of the operation of the UV system at the Ringsend WWTP during the winter period.

The results were independently peer reviewed and endorsed by the UCD Acclimatize project which found that the dataset that was developed was both comprehensive and appropriate for the assessment. The UCD Acclimatize project is undertaking a research programme to identify pollution sources at urban and rural bathing waters.

The study findings are consistent with previous analyses carried out by UCD Acclimatize and Dublin City Council which have identified near-shore pressures on bathing waters as the primary reason for occasional failures in bathing water quality at designated bathing waters. Nearshore pressures on bathing water quality can include run-off from agricultural land and roads, urban wastewater, dog and bird fouling, and misconnected houses and businesses.

In the absence of a demonstrable improvement in bathing water quality, the significant financial and carbon cost of operating the UV system outside of the bathing water season cannot be justified.

Irish Water will continue to operate the UV system at the Ringsend plant during the bathing water season from 1 June to 15 September in accordance with the requirements of the Wastewater Discharge License.

Irish Water is a member of the Dublin Bay Bathing Water Task Force and is collaborating with Dublinʼs local authorities to improve bathing water quality. The Task Force is committed to ensuring that Dublin Bayʼs designated bathing locations can be enjoyed by swimmers as often as possible.

Irish Water undertakes a range of initiatives and measures to help improve bathing water quality including designing and operating the wastewater treatment system to achieve compliance with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. A Drainage Area Plan (DAP) programme is underway to investigate the performance of the drainage networks in the Dublin area. This will allow Irish Water to understand what impact the network is having on receiving waters, to prioritise investment to where it is most needed, and to design the necessary upgrades.

Significant investment of over €1bn is being made to upgrade the wastewater infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). We are developing new critical wastewater treatment infrastructure to support the future sustainable growth of the area, to protect the environment and to safeguard public health.

Major projects to enhance the collection, storage and treatment network capacity in the Dublin region include the Dublin City Centre Sewerage Scheme, the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade Project (in construction), the Blanchardstown Regional Drainage Scheme (approaching completion) and the Greater Dublin Drainage project.

As a key stakeholder focussed on safeguarding our water, Irish Water also provides support for educational initiatives including the Think Before You Flush, Think Before You Pour and the Green Schools educational programmes.

Assessment of Impact of Winter UV operation at Ringsend WWTP on bathing sites in Dublin Bay : https://www.water.ie/news/results-of-trial-winter-o/Impact-assessment-of-Winter-Operation-of-UV-atRingsend.pdf

Record funding for water services in Budget 2023 welcomed

Significant projects earmarked to continue in 2023

Irish Water welcomes the Budget announcement by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OʼBrien TD, of a record funding allocation of €1.557 billion in 2023 for Irish Water. The funding will allow Irish Water to progress projects across the country, delivering jobs, increasing capacity for housing and development and supporting economic growth; balanced with our vision for a sustainable Ireland where the environment is respected and protected.

Significant projects earmarked to continue in 2023 include

wastewater plants and networks. This will be done with the

country who continue to work collaboratively, safely and efficiently

Speaking about the allocation Niall Gleeson, CEO of Irish Water, said: “We welcome the continued commitment to funding water services by Minister OʼBrien and the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The increase in capital investment in public water services is vital to support housing delivery, economic recovery, and for delivering environmental compliance. The additional funding comes at a time of exceptional inflationary pressures within the global environment and will ensure our programmes of works continues at pace.

“Irish Waterʼs Strategic Funding Plan sets out our ambition for the building, repair and upgrading of Irish Waterʼs water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, water and sewer network. This investment is already seeing results; in 2021 over half a million customers were removed from at-risk water supplies, major infrastructure projects delivered, over 99% of our drinking water was compliant with regulations and we have reduced raw sewage discharges nationally by over 60%. We will also continue our investment in leakage and in supporting social and economic growth enabling delivery on the Housing For All objectives.

In 2021 Irish Water issued positive connection offers associated with 32,404 housing units. And we are on track to exceed that in 2022, with positive connection offers associated with over 18,000 housing units in the first half of this year alone.

“Next yearʼs commitment on funding means we are on track to invest circa €5.3 billion in water services from 2020 through to 2024. Full detail of many of our projects and plans are available to view on www.water.ie”

leakage reduction works and upgrades to water and

support of our supply chain partners across the

with Irish Water.