Author: niamhmurray

Monaghan County Council is seeking expressions of interest from Landlords with VACANT 1 and 2 bedroom properties for let for inclusion in the Rental Accommodation Scheme:

Houses to be considered must be close to services, ideally within one mile (1.6km) from shops, school etc.

If you have any such houses available for renting, or that may become available shortly, please write in with the details, including size of house, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, ownership, date available, location map & BER (if available) and monthly rent price.

Submissions should be marked, sealed and addressed as follows:-

“Expression of Interest in 1 and 2 Bed Properties – Private Rented Accommodation”

RAS/Social Housing Section,

Housing Department,

Monaghan County Council,

The Glen,

Monaghan

28^th September 2023

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage invites applications from suitably qualified individuals to become a Member of the OAB.  It is important to note that, in accordance with the conditions set out in the Code of Conduct for Local Government Employee, application can only be accepted from those who are not serving or former public servants. Persons expressing an interest in this appointment must be able to demonstrate that they meet the following essential criteria:

• Have extensive experience in senior leadership levels with a high degree of integrity, particularly in the area of conflict of interest issues,

• A proven track record of independent, objective and effective judgement and decision making, including in roles such as Appeals Boards, Arbitration Boards etc.;

• Have a strong commitment to the Public Service and its values, in particular a clear understanding of the importance of upholding the public interest,

• Good communication and interpersonal skills.

Further information below:

Outside Appointments Board – Recruitment Booklet

Please forward a succinct CV having regard to the requirements described at number 4 above (no more than 2 pages).

Please also enclose a cover letter (no more than 1 page) outlining why you fulfil all the requirements described at number 4 above, and the specific expertise you would bring to the role as a Member and Chairperson of the OAB.

Please forward your CV and Cover Letter to kevin.forde@housing.gov.ie with the Heading “Outside Appointments Board Membership”, no later than 3pm on 25 October 2023.

Closing Date: 15:00 on Tuesday 25th of October 2023

If you have any queries regarding this, please e-mail kevin.forde@housing.gov.ie

Notice is hereby given that the Municipal District of Monaghan proposes to name the corner at the Northern end of Emyvale village as “Steele’s Corner”.

The Council invites submissions from members of the public in respect of this proposed naming of the corner. Submissions in writing can be forwarded to the Monaghan Municipal District, Council Offices, The Glen, Monaghan or emailed to monaghan@monaghancoco.ie by Friday 6^th October.

 

Donal McElwain

Municipal District Co-ordinator

21^st September 2023

14^th September 2023: Louth County Council and East Border Region Ltd have announced the appointment of Weev to install and operate 25 rapid electric vehicle chargers at locations across the border region in the Republic of Ireland. The award, which followed a competitive tender process will see motorists in counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Monaghan, Cavan, Louth and Meath being able to avail of these new chargers later this year.

These new chargers will be installed as part of the FASTER Project which has received €6.4 million EU funding under the INTERREG VA programme. The project is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) to support the transition to electric vehicles and sustainable transport use across Western Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (Border Region). Match funding for the project has been provided by the Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland) and the Department for Transport (Republic of Ireland) and Transport Scotland.

Initial groundworks are already in progress and the chargers are expected to be operational in the coming months in what will be a welcome boost to the public charging network in the border region.

Discussing the appointment of Weev to deliver this much needed infrastructure, Joan Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Louth County Council said;

“Today marks the beginning of the FASTER Project at 14 locations across 7 counties. It is the result of much cross border cooperation over recent years between ourselves and our colleagues from East Border Region and Ulster University in Northern Ireland and HITRANS in Scotland.

When completed the FASTER Project shall have delivered 25 high quality Rapid car charge points from Navan in County Meath to Buncrana in County Donegal. It will bring a much needed upgrade to the car charging infrastructure along the border counties in the Republic of Ireland. With our construction partners WEEV and M&M Construction this promises to be just the beginning of new Rapid EV Car Charging Infrastructure being installed across the island. I am delighted that the funding from INTERREG has been secured for this project and look forward to it coming to fruition in the near future.”

Founded in 2022, Belfast-based Weev was set up in response to the critical need for improved electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across Ireland.

 

Philip Rainey, Chief Executive Officer, Weev added;

“Our vision as a company is to supercharge EV infrastructure where it is most needed and this project allows us to do just that.

There is not doubt that EV drivers in the border counties are among the most under-served anywhere in the country. By partnering with Louth County Council and East Border Region Ltd, we can put the region back in the fast lane towards greater sustainability and accelerate the adoption of EVs in the area.

We look forward to rolling out the charging hubs in the coming months and welcome new locations, drivers and businesses to our rapidly expanding network.”

East Border Region Ltd, is the lead partner on the FASTER Project and Councillor Terry Andrews Chair, who is also a member of Meath County Council welcomed the appointment of WEEV saying;

“EBR is delighted to lead this innovative and genuinely cross border project which will see essential EV infrastructure installed in Ireland, the border counties and Scotland.  Electric vehicles are an essential component of the strategy to reduce emissions and help improve local air quality.

The FASTER project will undoubtedly contribute to this aim. We look forward to the rollout of the 25 rapid charge points and to working with our colleagues across the border Counties and Weev in the implementation phase of the project”.

Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), said: “We are delighted that 25 new rapid electric vehicle chargers will be installed across the Border Counties. The rapid chargers are a step-up in enhancing accessibility to EV charging; with drivers spending less time charging, this will encourage more motorists to transition to electric vehicles. Currently the ownership of EVs is limited to people who have driveways. The new charging points will give access to drivers everywhere, regardless of whether they have a driveway or not, therefore opening access to everyone.”

 

Further information about the FASTER Project can be found online now at www.fasterevcharge.com

 

Notice is hereby given that the Municipal District of Monaghan proposes to name the corner at the Northern end of Emyvale village as “Steele’s Corner”.

The Council invites submissions from members of the public in respect of this proposed naming of the corner. Submissions in writing can be forwarded to the Monaghan Municipal District, Council Offices, The Glen, Monaghan or emailed to monaghan@monaghancoco.ie by Friday 6^th October.

 

Donal McElwain

Municipal District Co-ordinator

14^th September 2023

Free period poverty products available in Monaghan County Council and Community Buildings across County Monaghan

Photo Caption L-R: Healthy Monaghan Coordinator, Gráinne Boyle, Cathaoirleach Cllr David Maxwell, Laura Carey, Librarian, Clones Library

Monaghan County Council is proud to announce the relaunch of its extended Period Poverty Initiative, a program aimed at providing free menstrual products to those in need throughout the county. This initiative reflects the council’s commitment to supporting the well-being of all its residents and ensuring that access to essential hygiene products is readily available to everyone.

Period poverty is a pressing issue that affects people from all walks of life. It occurs when individuals are unable to afford or access menstrual products, leading to significant challenges in maintaining good hygiene and overall health. Monaghan County Council recognises the importance of addressing this issue and is determined to make a difference in the lives of its community members.

The Period Poverty Initiative includes the following key components:

1. Distribution Points: Monaghan County Council has established multiple distribution points across the county where individuals can discreetly access free menstrual products. These distribution points will be strategically located in community buildings and County Council buildings.
2. Education and Awareness: The council is committed to raising awareness about period poverty and promoting menstrual hygiene education.
3. Community Partnerships: Monaghan County Council is collaborating with community groups to ensure the sustainability and success of this initiative. These partnerships will help expand the reach of the program and ensure a consistent supply of menstrual products.

Healthy County Coordinator Gráinne Boyle, who has been instrumental in driving this initiative, stated, “Period poverty is an issue that impacts the dignity and well-being of individuals within the community. Monaghan County Council is committed to eradicating this barrier to health and equality by providing free menstrual products to those in need. No one should have to choose between food and menstrual products, and with this relaunch, we are taking a significant step towards a more equitable Monaghan.”

Cllr David Maxwell, Cathaoirleach, Monaghan County Council, said: “I welcome the availability of free period products in so many of our Local Authority owned buildings. These essential products should be freely available in every bathroom facility in County Monaghan, and I believe this initiative will highlight the need for this to become the norm”

This pilot project is supported by Monaghan County Council and the LCDC’s Healthy Monaghan Sub-Group and is funded by the Department of Health. The free products are available now within all the buildings listed within the below table.

For more information about Monaghan County Council’s Period Poverty Initiative, including how to get involved or access free menstrual products contact the Healthy County Coordinator at: healthymonaghan@monaghancoco.ie or 087-3361652.

 

Building Locations for Free Period Products

 

Monaghan County Council Building Locations	Location Eircode
Monaghan County Council – The Glen Offices	H18YT50
Monaghan County Council – Planning Offices	H18X982
Carrickmacross Civic Offices (Including Carrickmacross Library)	A81RY22
Clones Civic Offices	H23X378
Clones Library	H28RW70
Monaghan Branch Library	H18FT98
Castleblaney Library	A75V383
The Market House	H18R268
Community Organisation Building Locations	Location Eircode
Teach na Daoine Family Resource Centre	H18D218
Clones Family Resource Centre	H23AE75
Blayney Blades	A75HK09
Farney Community Development Group	A81E372

 

 

 

Want to support the environment and de-clutter your home by recycling your electrical waste? Then check out the ERP FREE Electrical Recycling Drop Off Day at:

The Mart, Clones, Monaghan on Saturday September 23^rd, 2023, 10am to 4pm

You can drop off any household item with a plug or a battery – large or small – such as TVs, washing machines, IT equipment, stereos, mobile phones, battery-operated toys, power tools, cables, chargers and wireless ear buds. We even recycle used vapes!

And don’t forget to support Batteries for Barretstown and bring your used batteries for recycling!

 

The Willing Abled Mentoring Programme (WAM) at AHEAD partners with leading Irish employers to offer paid graduate-level jobs exclusively for graduates with disabilities.

At an average of 32.5%, Ireland has the lowest rate of employment for people with disabilities in Europe according to a recent report from the European Disability Forum. Despite the high level of employment overall across the country, according to Eurostat figures Ireland also has the EU’s largest disability employment gap between the employment rates of persons with and without disabilities.

“Graduates with disabilities deserve the opportunity to show their skills. There is an untapped talent pool in Ireland that is being widely overlooked and the WAM programme aims to change that. In partnership with leading Irish employers, we have supported over 600 disabled graduates into full-time work placements since 2005. Our graduates have an 80% success rate of securing employment after their placements have concluded which goes to show the difference having disability-inclusive employers and peers can make,” Caroline McGrotty, Employment Manager at AHEAD has said. The WAM Programme at AHEAD works to close the disability employment gap by supporting graduates with disabilities in the transition to the workforce, and by working with employers to ensure their recruitment practices are accessible and inclusive.

AHEAD, through it’s work with the Local Government Management Agency, are partnering for their second year with the Local Government sector to recruit graduates with disabilities across Ireland for a variety of roles. The participating local authorities this year include South Dublin, Waterford, Kerry, Cavan, Monaghan. A broad range of job types are available such as Climate and Environment, Community, Library Services, Customer Service, Communications and more.

 

Jane Brophy, Local Government Organisational Support at the Local Government Management Agency echoed Caroline’s sentiments, adding “Equality, diversity and inclusion are core values of the local government sector. The LGMA and local authorities are delighted to be building on the success of last year’s collaboration with the WAM programme which saw 9 disabled graduates secure employment across Ireland. This partnership provides an exciting opportunity for local authorities to embody the diversity present within the communities they serve.”

 

The WAM Difference 

Successful applicants will be invited to a needs assessment with the WAM team to discuss any support they may need to carry out their new position. Before starting their role, each successful applicant will be partnered with an in-house mentor. Mentors are other employees who work in the organisation but who are not the candidates’ direct line manager or supervisor.

The candidate, mentor and direct line manager all receive comprehensive pre-placement training on all aspects of The WAM Programme. The WAM team at AHEAD will provide ongoing support to both the candidates and the local authorities to ensure that the placements run smoothly. As Dara Ryder, CEO of AHEAD says “The research is very clear – diversity in the workplace benefits us all. The success of initiatives like the WAM programme are a strong argument in favour of moving beyond awareness towards proactive inclusion. AHEAD have seen firsthand how providing a supportive environment empowers graduates with disabilities to thrive”.

Eligible applicants can apply for the roles within the local authorities (or any of AHEAD’s upcoming opportunities) through the WAMworks database managed by AHEAD. Sign up to the database early to receive notification via email when the roles open for applications in early September.

For more information on the work of AHEAD and WAM, visit www.ahead.ie/wam.

This year,  HSE have partnered with Pieta and Cavan Library to organise an Information workshop for parents/concerned adults on Understanding Suicide and Self-harm. This is taking place on Tuesday 12^th September from 6 – 7.30 pm in Johnston Central Library, Farnham Street, Cavan.

Places are limited and need to be booked in advance through eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/autumn-series-information-workshop-understanding-suicide-self-harm-tickets-700140819037?aff=oddtdtcreator

We also have a number of free suicide prevention awareness training programmes scheduled during September and October across Cavan and Monaghan. This includes the following courses:

• Suicide Bereavement Training for Professionals, Monday 11^th September, Errigal Hotel, Cootehill, 9 am – 5 pm; direct link to book a place:

https://bookwhen.com/suicidepreventiontrainingcho1/e/ev-sva9-20230911090000

 

• safeTALK Training on Thursday 14^th September in the Iontas Centre, Castleblayney from 9.30 – 1 pm; click here to book a place:

https://bookwhen.com/suicidepreventiontrainingcho1/e/ev-sjkm-20230914093000

• ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), Thursday 21^st & Friday 22^nd September in the Errigal Hotel, Cootehill, 9 am – 5 pm; click here to book a place: https://bookwhen.com/suicidepreventiontrainingcho1/e/ev-swxy-20230921090000

 

• Understanding self-harm training, Friday 6^th October, 9 am – 4 pm in the Iontas Centre, Castleblayney; click here to book a place:

https://bookwhen.com/suicidepreventiontrainingcho1/e/ev-sp08-20231006090000

• safeTALK Training on Friday 6^th October, Hub Muinchille, Cootehill, 9.30 am – 1 pm; click here to book a place:

https://bookwhen.com/suicidepreventiontrainingcho1/e/ev-st4s-20231006093000

• ASIST Training, Thursday 12^th and Friday 13^th October, Iontas Centre, Castleblayney, 9 am – 5 pm; click here to book a place:

https://bookwhen.com/suicidepreventiontrainingcho1/e/ev-s3qb-20231012090000

Key messages for World Suicide Prevention Day

The theme of World Suicide Prevention Day on 10th September 2022 is “Creating Hope through action”. It is a time when we can spread a message of hope to others. Even though suicide is a very complex issue, we can always look out for others who might be experiencing suicidal thoughts, and provide support. This helps to create a more caring society where those who need to, feel more comfortable in seeking help.

The following messages are some examples of actions that can help to create hope this World Suicide Prevention Day.

“REACH IN”

Reach in to someone you know who might be having difficulties. Find a comfortable space and time to sit and be present with them. Use open questions and tell them you care about them. You don’t need to have all the answers. If they share things with you, listen – stay calm, be patient and kind. Remember that bringing up the topic of suicide with someone will not make suicide more likely. It can be really helpful for a person just to have a safe space to open up, know that they are heard and that they are not alone at a difficult time.

Tips on being a good listener, HSE yourmentahealth.ie

Supporting someone who might be suicidal, HSE yourmentalhealth.ie

“REACH OUT”

If you are feeling particularly low, sad or hopeless, always remember that sharing things with someone else will help. Reaching out to talk with someone – someone close or even a support organisation – might initially feel frightening. Even if you can’t find the right words, when you take that first step and start to share and talk about what’s going on for you, things can become clearer. The right words will come, and you will start to feel more hopeful.

Talk about how you feel, HSE yourmentalhealth.ie

“BE THE LIGHT”

Connect with a support or community organisation. Volunteer, help spread their messages and become involved in activities that promote positive mental health and wellbeing or suicide prevention in your community. Always think about the person and what they might be going through when talking about suicide. Remain compassionate and be respectful of the lives that have been lost, and others who have been bereaved. Remember that people can and do get through times of crisis, and that a positive message of recovery, can be protective and hopeful for others to hear.

What to say to someone going through a tough time, HSE yourmentalhealth.ie

‘WORDS MATTER’

The topic of suicide should always be approached with care and compassion. It is important to use sensitive and non-stigmatising language when engaging in a conversation, talking or writing about suicide. Using language and words that are helpful and respectful, will encourage open and safe conversations about suicide, and its prevention. They can help to create environments that are free of stigma, judgment or prejudice.

Always avoid using the term ‘commit suicide’ –this can imply a sin, criminal offence or act, and therefore can be stigmatising –of the person who has died, or of people who have been bereaved. In general, use neutral and simple terms such as ‘died by suicide’, ‘die by suicide’ or ‘death by suicide’.

More tips on language and suicide from the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP)

 

“INCREASE YOUR AWARENESS”

If someone tells you that they are having thoughts of suicide, stay calm and don’t be afraid. There are always helpful things you can do and there are training programmes that can help prepare you. Free suicide prevention and awareness programmes are available from the HSE. These can build your confidence, help you recognise people who might be at risk of suicide, ask them about suicide, and connect them with helpful supports and services. For example:

• LivingWorks Start, a 90 minute online programme
• safeTALK, a half day face-to-face programme

Visit www.nosp.ie/training for more information.

“KNOW WHERE TO TURN”

Get to know what mental health supports and services are available, and tell more people about them. Speak with a GP about what might be available locally. Tell your family, your friends, your colleagues – you never know when someone might need them. Many are open 24/7 and you can make contact in different ways, for example:

• on the phone – Samaritans, or Freephone 116 123
• by text message – Text about it, text HELLO to 50808, visit wwww.textaboutit.ie
• online – MyMind,
• face-to-face – Pieta,or Freephone 1800 247 247.

You can also call the HSE YourMentalHealth Information Line, anytime day or night, for information on what other services and supports are available near you – Freephone 1800 111 888 .

Remember that people can and do get through times of crisis, and that a positive message of recovery, can be protective and hopeful for others to hear.

If you, or someone you know is at immediate risk of harm, go to or call the emergency department of your local general hospital. You can also contact emergency services on 112 or 999 anytime, day or night.