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Business & Finance
Enniscorthy’s new retailers
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With many people expressing doubts over the future viability of on-street retailing due to Covid and the growth of online retailing, it’s wonderful to see not one, but two, new retailers opening up on Enniscorthy’s Castle Street. Left: Annette Kearns admiring the beautiful items for sale in “The Hidden Gem” and right: owner Cheryl Reid in “High St. Style”. The Slaney News wishes them both every success. Pics: Shop Enniscorthy.
Comhairle Contae Loch Garman
Planning
Community Monuments Fund 2022
The Community Monuments Fund was first established in 2020 to provide investment in Ireland’s archaeological heritage. The Community Monuments Fund 2022 was launched by Mr. Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, on the 17th November 2021.
The Community Monuments Fund provides funding for projects in relation to:
Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) under the
National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended);
(ii) Archaeological Monuments that are identified in the Sites and Monuments Record compiled by the
National Monuments Service.
There are 3 Streams:
Stream 1 will offer grants up to €85,000 aimed at essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair of archaeological monuments.
Stream 2 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for development of Conservation Management Plans/ Reports that are aimed at identifying measures for conservation of archaeological monuments and improving public access.
Stream 3 will offer grants of up to €30,000 for enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation (including virtual/online) at archaeological monuments (including COVID 19 public health measures).
Private applicants and/or community groups who are the owners or custodians of archaeological monuments in County Wexford who wish to apply should submit an application to Wexford County Council by the 28th January 2022.
For queries please contact Wexford County Council’s Heritage Officer, Catherine McLoughlin, at 053 9196453 or catherine.mcloughlin@wexfordcoco.ie
Normal Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday 8.15am – 4.00pm Saturday 8.15am – 3.00pm Closed for lunch 12.00 noon – 1.00pm Sundays, Mondays & Bank Holidays Closed
Christmas Opening Hours:
Note: Large volumes of traffic are expected during the above period and queuing/delays can be expected. Please follow staff instruction, and do not exit your vehicle unless you are parked in the correct location on the site. We would advise customers where possible to dispose of their recyclable materials before or after this period. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience that may arise. Normal opening hours resume on Tuesday 4th January.
Free Entry with Recycling Recoverable Items on one day only so don’t miss out!
Wexford County Council are offering you free entry with recycling recoverable items to our Household Recycling Centres on Monday December 20th 2021.
The €2 Entry Charge will not apply on this day only.
All other wastes deposited at Holmestown Household Recycling Centre will be subject to the normal charge.
The Management and Staff of Wexford County Council Household Recycling Centres would like to wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
Street Lights Broken? Report on www.deadsureapp.com Outside office hours call: 1890 666 777 Register on www.mapalerter.com for free text and email alerts about service disruptions in your locality Planning app. lists available at www.wexfordcoco.ie/planning
Comhairle Contae Loch Garman
Recruitment
Wexford County Council invites applicants for the following post:
Executive Planner
Selection for all posts will be by means of interview and candidates may be shortlisted based on applications submitted. Panels may be formed from which future vacancies may be filled.
Qualifications, application forms and further particulars for this post are available from our website at www.wexfordcoco.ie
Please note all applications for the above post must be Typed and submitted by Email only to
recruitment@wexfordcoco.ie
Printed hard copies will NOT be accepted for the above post.
Closing date for receipt of completed application forms for the above post is:
5.00 pm on Thursday 16th December, 2021.
Wexford County Council is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Street Lights Broken? Report on www.deadsureapp.com Outside office hours call: 1890 666 777 Register on www.mapalerter.com for free text and email alerts about service disruptions in your locality Planning app. lists available at www.wexfordcoco.ie/planning
The ‘Look for Local’ campaign was launched earlier this year by the Local Enterprise Office Wexford, funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and supported by Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities.
The campaign involves local advertising and promotion encouraging consumers to Look for Local when purchasing products, services or experiences. And that message is even more important in the final weeks before Christmas when shopping is at its peak.
Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathaoirleach, Wexford County Council, says: “Many people are now aware of the benefits of Looking for Local and they consciously choose to support local businesses and will continue to do so into the future. This is a testament to the campaign.”
Liz Hore, Head of Enterprise LEO, says: “The ‘Look for Local’ campaign is an opportunity for the Local Enterprise Office to show support to small businesses in County Wexford... while at the same time encouraging consumers to do the same.
“As outlined during the campaign, every euro that is spent in Wexford is an investment in our community and has a knock-on effect throughout the county. Consumers understand that spending locally will positively impact the economy and will sustain and create jobs. We envisage a big opportunity for small businesses to capitalise on that sentiment going forward.”
L-R: Liz Hore (Head of Enterprise, Wexford Local Enterprise Office – LEO), Angela Lawless (LEO), Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy (Cathaoirleach Wexford Co. Council), Caroline McCrea (LEO) and Ben Brosnan (Bodibro) promoting the Look for Local message. Promoting local shopping in Enniscorthy. L-R: Kasia O’Leary (My Sport), Frank Corcoran (Slaney News), Bridín Dwyer (Bell Heather Interiors), Jo Byrne (Evolv), Verona Murphy TD, Dermot Kavanagh (Smyths Homevalue), Cllr John O’Rourke.
For more information on Look for Local: www.LocalEnterprise.ie/LookForLocal and support Look for Local online using the hashtag #LookForLocal n
The regeneration of Enniscorthy town centre
On Wednesday 3rd November a public consultation meeting took place in the Riverside Park Hotel to discuss the regeneration of Enniscorthy Town centre. Wexford County Council along with Loci Urban Design Consultants facilitated the meeting where close to 100 people attended to give their views on the future of the town. The constructive and wide-ranging comments and suggestions that emerged will feed into the development of the regeneration strategy. Speaking at the event, Cathaoirleach of the Enniscorthy District Cllr Cathal Byrne said, “The Government has confirmed that there will be funding made available in 2022 for the regeneration of towns across the country. It’s vital that a comprehensive and well thought out plan for the town is prepared as part of any application for this funding. This public meeting has offered local residents an opportunity to have their say and give feedback directly to Wexford County Council. If anyone has any feedback on what they wish to see in a regeneration plan for Enniscorthy they can still do so through the Council’s website.”
After some short presentations, the meeting moved into workshop mode and the groups were asked to work on questions posed by the urban de-
Ideas being put forward at the recent Regenerating Enniscorthy Town Centre meeting.
signers. Detailed feedback was then presented back to the meeting by representatives of each group. Diarmuid Houston, Senior Planner, said, “The meeting was set up so everyone could add to the discussion. I was very impressed with how quickly the attendees got down to work and the fact that they gave so much of their time to help us in this process. We gained a lot of information from the evening and I want to thank everyone who got involved.”
Conor Norton of Loci said, “It was a hugely productive workshop. We
gained many new insights into the critical issues, opportunities and the general way forward for the town centre. The commitment of the community to the future of the town centre was more than apparent in the enthusiasm and contributions on the night.” A second consultation is planned for early January 2022. The consultation process will be continuing over the next few months. Individual submissions and information updates on the process can be accessed via Wexford County Council’s web page consult.wexfordcoco.ie n Time to have your say!
If you missed the first public meeting on 3rd November, there is still time to have your say. Wexford County Council welcomes written submissions at https://consult.wexfordcoco.ie or by post, marked ‘Renewing Enniscorthy’s Town Centre’ to: Planning Department, Wexford County Council, County Hall, Carricklawn, Wexford, Y35 WY93. Queries regarding same can be made to Sonia Hunt on 053 9196408 or sonia.hunt@Wexfordcoco.ie All comments received will be recorded and considered during the ongoing design process. Future consultation with the general public will also take place in the near future regarding the Local Area Plan (LAP) for Enniscorthy and a transportation strategy for the town. n
Wexford forging business links with Savannah
A delegation of business and university leaders from Savannah, Georgia, visited County Wexford last month for a number of meetings with regional and local partners to develop Tradebridge, the regional international investment, export and job creation programme between the counties of South East Ireland – Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Tipperary, Waterford, and Savannah and the 16 counties in South East Georgia, USA, and to advance collaboration and planning with Georgia Southern University in relation to their International Learning Centre Hub established in Wexford Town.
The International Learning Centre was officially opened in November 2019 but due to the pandemic, all student travel plans from the USA were put on hold. Tradebridge: Tradebridge aims to develop new export, FDI and job creation opportunities for companies and SME’s who operate in the South East of Ireland and the 16 Counties of the State of Georgia, America. The project received funding from Enterprise Ireland, and at regional level by the Local Authorities /Local Enterprise Offices of Wexford, Kilkenny, Waterford, Tipperary and Carlow. The project expanded its scale and economic ambition following the successful initial pilot implemented as a collaboration of Wexford County Council and Wexford Enterprise Association with Savannah
Back row L-R: Cllr. Jim Moore, Dr. Howard Keeley, Georgia Southern University, Trip Addison, Georgia Southern University, Aidan Foley, Raceix, Eamonn Murphy, Wexford Enterprise Association, Tom Enright, Chief Executive, Wexford County Council, John Coleman, Chairman Savannah Economic Development Authority, Brendan Ennis, Wexford Enterprise Association. Front row L-R: Ron Stalnaker, Georgia Southern University, Leigh Ryan, World Trade Centre Savannah, Jessie Jenkins, World Trade Centre Savannah, Mayor of Borough District of Wexford, Garry Laffan, Martina Furlong, Wexford County Council, Eleanor White, Chair of Wexford Enterprise Association.
Economic Development Association and the World Trade Centre Savannah.
In the first week of November, a planning retreat was held with a delegation from Georgia to develop the workplan for implementation with meetings in Wexford and Kilkenny. Wexford County Council is lead partner on behalf of the regional local authorities and are currently recruiting a Head of Enterprise Development to support the project in developing tangible economic trade opportunities leading to commercial income generation and fostering entrepreneurship. Georgia Southern University: As part of the visit, representatives from Georgia Southern University also travelled for business meetings. The GSU meetings aimed to put in place plans for the first intake of academic students with a small group, pending covid, planned for 2022 and programmes for the academic year to commence in 2023. Wexford County Council representatives and the delegation had a live stream meeting from the GSU campus with the Board of GSU Housing Foundation and the President of GSU to progress plans. n
Enniscorthy North Business District
The Masterplan for the Enniscorthy North Business District (Old Dublin Road) is now complete and can be inspected at the offices of the Enniscorthy Municipal District from Wednesday 17th November, 2021. Phase 1 of the works are expected to commence on site in quarter 1 of 2022. The working title of this project has been the Enniscorthy North Business District and it is proposed this title be adopted as the business district name and to be used on the gateway signage which will be erected as part of the Phase 1 works. n
Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort recently welcomed Brittany Ferries’ new weekly service direct to Le Havre. The announcement comes on top of the port’s 55% increase in freight traffic this year up to November. The service is being operated by Brittany Ferries’ freight-only Cotentin vessel, with capacity for 120 freight units and 120 cabins, as well as a range of amenities for drivers. It will give Irish industry a further vital post-Brexit connection, with landbridgefree access to the continent of Europe. It increases to thirty the number of direct weekly Ro-Ro services between Rosslare Europort and the European continent. n
Enniscorthy is designated a UN Centre of Excellence at COP26
Amid all the criticism of COP26 last month, at least one good news story emerged... Enniscorthy has been designated a UN Centre of Excellence!
Minister Darragh O’Brien and Cllr. Barbara-Anne Murphy, Chairperson of Wexford Co. Council, signed a Memorandum of Understanding designating the High-Performance Building Alliance (HPBA) as a designated UN Centre of Excellence, at a prestigious virtual event at the COP26 Climate Change conference. The initiative signals Ireland’s commitment to the sustainable and energy-efficient development of buildings in an initiative led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe outlined by Olga Algayerova, Executive Secretary and Scott Foster, Director of Sustainable Energy at the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe). Minister O’Brien stated he was "delighted to sign the UN agreement on behalf of the Irish Government which will see the HPBA Centre of Excellence based at Enniscorthy as a global leader in energy efficiency and in assisting with the retrofitting and building of new homes, reducing carbon emissions while providing warmer homes.” Minister O’Brien added, “I want to commend the leadership of Wexford County Council (WCC) and Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB) who worked together to establish the centre of excellence as the first provider of NZEB social housing and the first Education and Training Board to provide NZEB training nationally with over 1,000 people trained to date at the WWETB NZEB training centre in Enniscorthy.” Cllr. Barbara-Anne Murphy, Chair of the HPBA and WCC /WWETB, addressed the live stream COP26 climate conference in Glasgow from government buildings and stated that “the High Performance Building Alliance is determined to be a leader and champion of high-performance energy buildings and to increase knowledge, capacity and demand for low carbon emissions buildings." In particular, she emphasised that “the HPBA will advance innovation and lead in the use of sustainable solutions through collaboration with the Global Network of Centres of Excellence.”
The UN Centre of Excellence at Enniscorthy is already named as a key driver in reducing carbon emissions in the built environment and providing training for the construction industry in the National Development Plan. The built environment and construction sector is central to tackling climate change, with buildings consuming as much as 70% of the electricity generated globally and accounting for 40% of Co2 emissions. High-performance buildings are designed to use minimal amounts of energy for heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation with a range of benefits for both the environment and the people who live and work in them. Wexford County Council is currently recruiting a new Chief Executive for the HPBA and establishing the HPBA headquarters with the UN centre in Enniscorthy. The Board of the HPBA involves a number of key stakeholders –government departments, state agencies, NGOs and industry leaders including Tomas O’Leary from Mosart architects, an Enniscorthy native who is an industry leader in energy-efficient buildings in Ireland. It is expected in 2022 that WCC and WWETB, the funders of the HPBA initiative, will host an international event to launch the UN centre in Enniscorthy and to showcase international speakers on how the built environment can address climate change while providing warmer, and better homes for people. n
Pic: Mary Browne
On 3rd November Minister Darragh O’Brien signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wexford County Council Chair Cllr BarbaraAnne Murphy, the Waterford Wexford Education & Training Board (WWETB), the Wexford High Performance Building Alliance and the United Nations. Ireland’s first nZEB (near Zero Energy Building) training centre was established in Enniscorthy in 2018 and this MOU is the next step on the road to establishing a United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Centre of Excellence there. L-R: Tony Larkin (Wexford Co. Council), Liz Hore (Wexford Co. Council), Minister James Browne TD, Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy (Chairperson Wexford Co. Council), Minister Darragh O’Brien TD, Paul Kehoe TD, Michael O'Brien (nZEB training centre, Enniscorthy), Kevin Lewis (WWETB).
