Author: sconnolly2

Temporary Closing of Roads

Monaghan County Council gives notice of its intention to close the following roads in the Municipal District of Carrickmacross-Castleblayney in County Monaghan:

 

Date:              

Between Monday 5^th of April 2021 and Friday 1^st of October 2021

between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm

 

Each Road will be closed for a maximum of 4 weeks within the Closure Period

 

To facilitate:   Road Improvement Works

 

Roads closed:

 

• LP 4630-0 in the Townland of Inniskeen Glebe

 

• LP 4100 & LS-8150-0 in the Townland of Creevy

 

• LS 8132-0 in the Townland of Corravoo

 

• LT 49032-0 in the Townland of Scalkill

 

• LT 81521-0 in the Townland of Rathmore

 

• LT 49032-0 in the Townland of Drumgurra

 

• LT 46034-0 in the Townland of Drumboat

 

• R178 Shercock road Roundabout in the Townland of Drummond Etra

 

• R178 Dundalk road Roundabout in the Townland of Drummond Otra

 

• R178-6 Farney Street in the Townland of Drummond Otra

 

• R179-6 O’Neill Street in the Townland of Drummond Otra

 

 

All Detours will be signposted in order to direct the Traffic. (Local Access and Emergency Vehicles will be catered for at all times).

 

Any interested person may lodge an objection to the closing of the above-mentioned road with the A/Senior Engineer, Monaghan County Council, MTEK II Building, Knockaconny, Monaghan not later than Tuesday 9^th March 2021.  Any objections must be clearly marked on envelope “Objection to Road Closure”.

 

If you have any queries concerning this Road Closure please contact The Municipal District of Carrickmacross-Castleblayney, Civic Offices, Riverside Road, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan at (042) 9661236 or email carrickmacross@monaghancoco.ie

 

Gareth Mc Mahon

A/Senior Engineer

4^th of March 2021

 

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Carrickmacross St. Patrick’s Parade 2021

Virtual St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District are currently organising the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Carrickmacross Town.

This year we are going virtual, and we are asking groups, bands, individuals and businesses interested in participating, to submit a video, no longer than 30 seconds, capturing your St. Patrick’s Day event.  It is important that you have your phone/tablet on the landscape setting when recording and use the hashtag #CarrickmacrossParade. There is a prize award for the best video posted on social media on St. Patrick’s Day using the #CarrickmacrossParade

All videos must be received at contact@aura.ie on or before the 10^th of March 2021.

We must emphasise that all submissions must comply with current Covid-19 restrictions.

Our civic building will be lit up green to celebrate the event and we encourage all businesses with shopfronts to “Turn your Business Green” by decorating your shop windows in honour of our patron saint.

Damien Thornton

A/ Municipal District Co-Ordinator

Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District

4^th March 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all know that COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease which can cause serious illness, hospitalisation and even death.

The COVID-19 vaccine will offer you protection from COVID-19. If you do catch COVID-19 after vaccination, you should be protected from the serious illness the virus can sometimes cause. Over 350,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Ireland.

Who is being vaccinated now?

Supplies of the vaccine are limited at the moment, so people who are most at risk from COVID-19 are being vaccinated first.

This means people living in long-term care, frontline healthcare workers, and people aged 70 and over. We’re currently vaccinating people aged 85 and over, and people aged 80 and over will be next.

People don’t need to register in advance at the moment – we’ll let you know when it’s your turn to be offered the vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is free. It will not be available privately.

Our aim in offering the vaccine to the population is to protect people and reduce the illness and deaths caused by this virus.

More Information

We encourage everyone to find answers to their questions from a trusted source, like the HSE website, our official social media channels, or the HSE’s HSElive information service on 1850 24 1850.

You can also ask your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare team about the vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccines Information

Clear information helps us all to make an informed decision about the vaccine.

You can find factual, updated information about COVID-19 Vaccine on www.hse.ie/covid19vaccine.

You can phone our team in HSELive on

1850 24 1850 or 01 240 8787.

You can email HSElive at hselive@hse.ie

Remote sign language interpretation can be arranged by appointment.

Sheol an tUachtarán Seachtain na Gaeilge 2021, le hóráid speisialta.

Speech  Video le haighaidh tuillead eolas lean na nasc seo

 

Is féile idirnáisiúnta Ghaeilge í Seachtain na Gaeilge, atá ar an gceiliúradh is mó dár dteanga agus dár gcultúr dúchais a bhíonn ar siúl in Éirinn agus in go leor tíortha eile gach bliain.

 

Tá a théarma oifige úsáidte ag an Uachtarán Ó hUigínn chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. I rith a shaol gairmiúil, thacaigh an tUachtarán Ó hUigínn leis an nGaeilge agus bhí sé ar dhuine de thiománaithe taobh thiar de bhunú Teilifís na Gaeilge, TG4 mar atá anois.

 

Dúirt an tUachtarán Ó hUigínn gur Uachtaránacht Smaointe a bheadh aige, uachtaránacht báúil don teanga, do choincheapa agus do thoimhdí neamhráite. Ó shin, léirigh sé áit lárnach na Gaeilge inár stair agus inár gcultúr go minic, agus spreag sé daoine go leanúnach chun an teanga a labhairt, fiú mura bhfuil acu ach ‘cúpla focal’.

 

Cé go bhfuil sé tábhachtach an teanga a chaomhnú, spreagann an tUachtarán an dátheangachas agus ‘Gaeltachtaí’ praiticiúla a chruthú – i dtithe, scoileanna agus i measc cairde.

 

Ina óráid in 2016 ‘Gaeilge sa Ghairdín’, dúirt an tUachtarán go bhfuair ceannairí Éirí Amach 1916 inspioráid ó fhís Éire neamhspleách a raibh a teanga á labhairt agus á scríobh, agus go raibh cúigear den seachtar a shínigh an Forógra gníomhach i gConradh na Gaeilge.

 

Ina aitheasc ag Ard Fheis Chonradh na Gaeilge 2016, d’aithin an tUachtarán Ó hUigínn na deacrachtaí a bhaineann le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge, ach léirigh sé an dul chun cinn atá á dhéanamh agus an fás sa suim atá ag daoine sa teanga.

 

Ina óráid ag ceiliúradh comóradh 20 bliain de TG4, thug an tUachtarán aitheantas don stáisiún teilifíse mar mhodh chun naisc a chothú idir na pobail scaipthe a úsáideann an Ghaeilge.

 

President Higgins launched Seachtain na Gaeilge 2021 on the 1st of March.

Click on the Speech or Video tabs for more information.

 

Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Language Week) is an international Irish language festival and one of the biggest celebrations of our native language and culture, that takes place each year in Ireland and in many other countries.

President Higgins has used his term in office to promote the Irish language. Throughout his career, President Higgins has championed the Irish language and he was one of the driving forces behind the establishment of Teilifís na Gaeilge, now TG4.

In his first term in office, President Higgins said that he aimed for his Presidency to be one of Ideas, and one sensitive to language, concepts and unspoken assumptions. Since then, he has on many occasions highlighted the central place of the Irish language in our history and culture, consistently encouraging people to speak the language, even if they only have the ‘cúpla focail.’

In his 2016 ‘Ghaeilge sa Ghairdín’ speech, the President highlighted that the leaders of the 1916 Rising were inspired by a vision of an independent Ireland whose language was spoken and written, and that five of the seven who signed the Proclamation were active in the Irish Language League.

In his address to the 2016 Conradh na Gaeilge Ard Fheis, President Higgins recognised the difficulties involved in the promotion of Irish, but highlighted the progress being made and the growth of interest in the language.

In his speech at the celebrations of TG4’s 20th anniversary, the President paid tribute to the television station as a means to foster links between the dispersed communities that use Irish.

Imelda May, Declan Hannon & Bláthnaid Tracey fógartha mar ambasadóirí ar fhéile Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia 2021
Beidh an fhéile idirnáisiúnta ar siúl ón 1 – 17 Márta

Tá an ceoltóir Imelda May, captaen fhoireann iomána Luimnigh Declan Hannon agus an craoltóir Bláthnaid Treacy ag teacht le chéile mar ambasadóirí teanga d’fhéile na bliana seo. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an bhfeachtas seo daoine ar leibhéil éagsúla Gaeilge a spreagadh chun a bheith páirteach in imeachtaí dírithe ar an teanga. Bíonn an fhéile idirnáisiúnta bhliantúil ar siúl ón 1 Márta go dtí an 17 Márta le clár imeachtaí Gaeilge arna eagrú ag grúpaí pobail, scoileanna, grúpaí cultúrtha agus spóirt in Éirinn agus go hidirnáisiúnta.

D’fhógair Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia a n-ambasadóirí d’fhéile na bliana seo agus iad ag súil le clár d’imeachtaí tarraingteacha a sheoladh atá curtha le chéile chun ár dteanga dhúchais a cheiliúradh sa bhaile agus ar fud na cruinne. Rinneadh an fógra beo ar an aer ar RTÉ 2FM mar chuid de sheó dátheangach StaidAir atá dírithe ar mhic léinn na hArdteiste.

Dúirt Bláthnaid Treacy, ambasadóir Sheachtain na Gaeilge le Energia: 
“Tá ríméad orm a bheith mar ambasadóir do Sheachtain na Gaeilge le Energia i mbliana! Táim sona sásta mo chuid dualgas a roinnt leis an dá ambasadóir eile, Declan agus Imelda, atá mar eiseamláirí ina gcuid réimsí. Is mór an onóir a bheith in ann an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus bhí mé an-bhródúil asam féin nuair a d’fhógair mé ambasadóirí na bliana seo ar mo chlár ar RTÉ 2fm, StaidAir. Táim ag tnúth go mór leis an bhféile agus tá súil agam go mbeidh níos mó daoine ag úsáid a gcúpla focal!”

Dúirt Conchubhair Mac Lochlainn, cathaoirleach Sheachtain na Gaeilge le Energia: 
“I mbliana beidh go leor imeachtaí ar siúl ar líne, mar sin tá níos mó deiseanna ná riamh ann do dhaoine páirt a ghlacadh san fhéile, is cuma cá bhfuil siad. Molaim d’éinne, is cuma cén leibhéal Gaeilge atá acu, páirt a ghlacadh in imeachtaí i mbliana. Ó dhaoine ag tosú ar a dturas teanga, iad siúd atá ag foghlaim arís agus daoine atá líofa ach nach bhfaigheann an deis a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid chomh minic agus ba mhaith leo, tá ócáid ann do gach duine.”

Dúirt Amy O’Shaughnessy, Bainisteoir Urraíochta Energia:
“Tá ríméad orainn go bhfuil Imelda May, Declan Hannon agus Bláthnaid Treacy linn mar ambasadóirí d’fhéile Sheachtain na Gaeilge le Energia i mbliana. Is comhlacht Éireannach muid agus mar gheall air sin ba mhaith linn go gcuirfidh daoine a gcroí isteach sa chultúr Éireannach agus spreagadh a thabhairt do gach éinne a gcuid cúpla focal a úsáid le linn fhéile na bliana seo. Tá réimse leathan imeachtaí ar siúl do dhaoine ag gach aon leibhéal Gaeilge agus is deis iontach í le snas a chur ar ár gcuid Gaeilge agus sinn ar fad sa bhaile mar gheall ar an dianghlasáil.”

Is í an fhéile bhliantúil Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia an fhéile idirnáisiúnta Gaeilge is mó agus bíonn sí ar siúl gach bliain i mí an Mhárta. Beidh féile na bliana seo ar siúl ón 1 – 17 Márta agus na mílte gníomhaíocht ar siúl ar fud an domhain chun teanga dhúchais na hÉireann a cheiliúradh. Is féidir liosta iomlán d’imeachtaí agus de ghníomhaíochtaí Sheachtain na Gaeilge le Energia a fháil ó: www.snag.ie

Tá an fhéile eagraithe ag Conradh na Gaeilge ó 1902 agus táimid buíoch den tacaíocht ó Fhoras na Gaeilge agus Energia.

For Sale 4no. Partially Developed Residential Sites
Latlorcan Glen, Monaghan, Co. Monaghan

* Previous planning for substantial detached properties.
* Premium location, just off Dublin Road in Monaghan Town.
* To be sold as individual plots (subject to conditions).
* Excellent connectivity to N2 Primary Route.
* Further details & maps available from Monaghan Property Sales.

Dawson House, Dawson Street, Monaghan
Tel 047 72323
Email info@monaghanproperty.com
www.monaghanproperty.com 

 

High Speed Broadband installed in Tullycorbet Hall under Connected Communities.

Tullycorbet Parish Hall has become the latest Broadband Connection Points to go live within Co. Monaghan under the Connected Communities Initiative, delivering internal and external wifi in the community hall and the neighbouring car park up to 150 Mb/sec. It was a momentous week in the Tullycorbet area, with NBI crews out on the ground completing tree trimming and preparatory work in advance of high speed fibre rollout during the summer. This is truly a community BCP, with local landowner Seamus Treanor facilitating this project by allowing his property to be used as an intermediate site to bounce the broadband signal down to the community centre.

 

The Connected Communities initiative delivers high speed broadband wirelessly to local community facilities in advance of the full rollout of fibre to every home and business in the area which does not have access to high speed broadband. More than 3,700 premises are expected to get new high speed fibre across Co. Monaghan in the course of 2021, representing almost 23% of the 15,000 premises to be covered.

The rollout of BCPs will continue in the coming months with five additional BCPs set to be connected in the course of 2021. This rollout is being coordinated by the Monaghan County Council’s Broadband Officer on behalf of the Government of Ireland.

The Government of Ireland is also assisting many of these BCPs through the Town and Village Renewal scheme. A number of BCPs have had additional IT equipment and Video conferencing facilities installed in recent months, funded by Dept. of Rural and Community Development under Town and Village Renewal and by Monaghan Co. Co. Municipal Districts.

The full list of BCPs which are now up and running and which have external wifi available is:

• Carn Resource Centre
• Connons Community Centre
• Corcaghan Community Centre
• Corduff-Raferagh Community Centre
• Latton Resource Centre
• Monaghan GAA Centre of Excellence
• Mullyash Commnuity Centre
• The Wetlands, Ballybay
• Tannagh Outdoor Education Centre
• Tullycorbet Parish Hall

Connected Communities is an initiative of the Government of Ireland, in partnership with Vodafone and National Broadband Ireland.

Commenting on the initiative, Heather Humphreys T.D., Minister for Rural and Community Development said “I want to congratulate Monaghan on the launch of their BCP network as part of the Connected Communities Initiative.

Connected Communities will unlock the potential in rural communities, transforming the lives of its residents.

Whether that is connected working, the creative arts, eHealth or educational supports, the BCPs will be supported to provide the services that their communities need.

These premises are not merely a stop-gap measure ahead of the arrival of the National Broadband Plan, it is our hope that they will instead become long-term community assets, fixtures of their communities, providing next generation services to Ireland’s rural heartlands.”

 

Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer at National Broadband Ireland, commented:  “NBI is proud to be empowering the Broadband Connection Points programme by installing community facilities with essential access to free high-speed internet access. As our teams continue to make progress with our Fibre-to-the-Home rollout to bring high-speed broadband to every home, farm, business and school in the Intervention Area, Broadband Connection Points pave the way for the wider rollout of the National Broadband Plan.”

 

Anne O’Leary, CEO Vodafone Ireland said: “Vodafone is proud to partner with Government on Connected Communities, providing best in class WiFi to rural communities across Ireland. Today, we are delighted to see the launch of Monaghan Connected Communities, bringing high-speed connectivity across the county. Technology and connectivity has afforded us a sense of normality in truly abnormal times and has supported the dramatic and necessary shift to online in terms of how we live, work and interact. These Connected Communities will help Monaghan embrace this digital society by giving opportunities for remote work, study, community and digital skills training and a host of other digitally enabled services. As they evolve and grow, Connected Communities will provide an opportunity to transform the economic and social fabric of rural towns and communities by addressing the digital divide, improving lives, creating jobs and stimulating rural economic growth”.

Public Health Measures

Ireland is at level 5 restrictions.

You can see the measures in place here.

 

COVID-19 Vaccination Programme

The vaccination programme continues to be rolled out nationwide, and more than 280,000 vaccines have been administered. This week we saw the vaccination programme go firmly out into the community, with people aged 85 and over beginning to be invited for their vaccines by GPs. When this group is complete, we’ll move on to the next age-group, people aged 80 and over.

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communications Resources

Irish Sign Language (ISL) videos explaining important information about the COVID-19 vaccine are available here.

 

Interim Guidance on COVID-19 Outbreaks in Meat Factories in Ireland

You can find the guidance here.

 

COVID-19 Guidance for Health and Social Care Workers who visit homes to deliver healthcare

You can find the guidance here.

 

General guide on the management of COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace

You can find the guidance here.

 

Public Health Advice for Construction Sector: key points for construction industry in responding to a case of COVID-19

You can find the guidance here.

 

COVID-19 Guidance for Healthcare Staff in Disability Services

You can access information from this webinar here.

 

Current recommendations for the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

in the management of suspected or confirmed COVID-19

You can find the current recommendations here.

 

Where to find COVID-19 Vaccination Information

We encourage everyone to read about the COVID-19 vaccine and to get their information from a factual, trusted source – here are the links to the pages with information on the vaccine:

• Check hse.ie/covid19vaccine for information about the vaccine, information on this page is updated regularly
• Find the vaccine information materials at www.hse.ie/covid19vaccinematerials
• Details on getting the COVID-19 vaccine is updated regularly here
• Read the full COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy
• Read the National Immunisation Advisory Committee Chapter about COVID-19 vaccine
• COVID-19 vaccine information for health professionals

 

Public Health Information

As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.

 

Please check here for the most up to date partner resources for COVID-19.

 

You can find the COVID-19 A-Z information here from the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

 

Check the Healthy Ireland site here with further resources and information on the Keep Well campaign.

 

You can view the latest information on how Ireland is responding to cases of COVID-19 here.

 

Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub is available here

National Broadband Ireland (NBI) surveying in Monaghan

Surveying and design works for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) rollout continues in the Carrickmacross area commencing on 22^nd of February. National Broadband Ireland (NBI) are the company undertaking the fibre network roll-out to enable high speed internet connectivity for 544,000 premises across the country.

In the Carrickmacross area, the surveys will commence in the following areas:

• Carrickmacross, Nuremore, Lough Fea, Knocknacran, Magheracloone, Barnadonagh, Shercock Road, Creevy, Donaghmoyne, Wards Cross and Inniskeen

NBI would like the public to know that contractors will be on the ground in these counties, both inspecting and recording pictures of infrastructure such as poles, cables and underground ducts. The teams have been fully trained in physical distancing practices, hygiene, appropriate use of personal protective equipment and how to engage with the public in a safe manner if and when required.

Actavo are the contracting company commencing this work and they will have vehicles and signage with both their own, and NBI logos. Employees will also wear hard hats and high visibility vests featuring the NBI logo. All contractors will also carry official ID cards & essential worker letters.

The NBI customer call centre number is 0818 624 624 (local call rate) or email contactus@nbi.ie for any queries. For further information on the NBP see www.nbi.ie

Preferred Route Corridors Announced for the N2 Ardee to Castleblayney and N2 Clontibret to Border Road Schemes

The Project Team announces its Preferred Route Corridors and would like to thank those who submitted feedback on the Emerging Preferred Route Corridors and engaged with the Team during the consultation which ran between August and October 2020.

Monaghan County Council is working in association with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to upgrade two sections of the N2/A5 Dublin-Derry Road. One of the projects, the Clontibret to Border road scheme, will upgrade a 28km section of the N2. Monaghan County Council is working in partnership with Louth County Council and TII on the second project – an upgrade of a 32km section of the N2 between Ardee and Castleblayney. Together with other improvements planned for the N2/A5 route, these proposed schemes will significantly improve transport connectivity along the N2 and provide safer and more efficient access to other strategic national roads. These are important projects to enhance key North/South and Regional connectivity and to improve road safety.

Monaghan County Council has appointed Jacobs Consulting Engineers (Jacobs) to advance the project through the planning and design process. Emerging Preferred Route Corridors were published for both projects in August 2020, and a period of public consultation ran until the 5^th October 2020. The Project Team would like to sincerely thank the public for their feedback and engagement with them throughout the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor Consultation. Over 350 meetings were held with interested stakeholders throughout the consultation period, which included remote meetings and in-person physically-distanced meetings in venues in Monaghan Town and Carrickmacross. ‘We were delighted to have been able to offer members of the public an opportunity to talk with the N2 Project Team via telephone, video call or face to face appointment during our recent public consultation and would like to sincerely thank the public for engaging with the project team and giving their feedback.’ Said Patricia Monahan, Director of Services for Monaghan County Council.

Over 80 written submissions were received on the Clontibret to Border Road Scheme and over 180 on the Ardee to Castleblayney Road Scheme. A Post Consultation Report has now been prepared for each project, documenting the consultation process and outlining the type of feedback received – the Post Consultation Report is available to download from the project website www.N2MonaghanLouth.ie.

Following review and consideration of the submissions and feedback received, it was determined that there was no new and/or additional information of enough significance to necessitate an amendment to the previously presented Emerging Preferred Route Corridors for either scheme.  Therefore, the Corridors presented at the Emerging Preferred Route Corridor consultation, without any amendments, have been selected as the Preferred Route Corridor Options. Option H: Green+Yellow+Orange is the Preferred Route Corridor Option (‘Preferred Option’) for the Clontibret to Border Road Scheme. On the Ardee to Castleblayney Road Scheme, Option A: Yellow, is the Preferred Route Corridor Option (‘Preferred Option’).

A map of the Preferred Route Corridor for each scheme is available to view on the project website www.N2MonaghanLouth.ie. A leaflet is also being delivered or posted to properties and registered landowners within the Preferred Route Corridors. The preferred Route Corridors are typically 400m wide, however they do not represent the actual width of the road scheme or the lands to be acquired – the corridor indicates the lands within which the N2 road scheme could be developed. The exact details of the land take, earthworks, junction and side road design and property impacts will be developed during the next Phase of the planning and design process.

An Option Selection Report, which documents the process of selecting the Preferred Route Corridors, has now been published for each road scheme and  can be accessed by the public in the following ways;

• The reports can be viewed or downloaded from the project website (N2MonaghanLouth.ie). A digital copy of the report (on a memory stick) can be requested from the N2 Project Team for those who cannot download the report due to poor internet access.
• The reports can be viewed by appointment at Council Offices (subject to applicable government restrictions/ guidelines related to COVID-19). Please contact the N2 Project Team to request an appointment.

 

What happens next?

Subject to relevant approvals, further development of the scheme, including design of the road, identifying the landtake required, junction design and the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment can now progress. This next phase is planned to take place in 2021 and 2022.

In order to inform the design process, the N2 Project Team will first undertake a range of engineering and environmental site surveys on lands within and around the Preferred Route Corridors. The design team will be in contact with relevant landowners in relation to these surveys.

As the site surveys are completed, the initial design of the road can be progressed. When the design has reached a level of maturity where informed discussions can take place, the N2 Project Team will consult with directly impacted landowners in relation to the initial design and its impact on land and property. Stakeholders and the general public will be kept informed of progress as part of Monaghan and Louth County Council’s commitment to ongoing stakeholder engagement.

Any stakeholders who have queries about the upcoming design process can make contact with the project team by calling the N2 Project Phoneline on 087 340 3786, or by email ArdeeCastleblayney@N2MonaghanLouth.ie / ClontibretBorder@N2MonaghanLouth.ie.

 

 

February 8, 2021

Statement by An Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council Councillor Colm Carthy on the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes

As Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council and on behalf of the elected members, I wish to apologise unreservedly to the women and girls who were incarcerated, their babies, the survivors, those now deceased and their relatives, for the pain and suffering caused while resident in Mother and Baby Homes or in the County Home in Castleblayney, while it was under the control of Monaghan County Council.
An Taoiseach Michéal Martin T.D. issued a formal apology on behalf of the State to former residents of the Mother and Baby Home and County Homes institutions, following the publication of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, (on January 12th).

The Government now intends to give detailed consideration to the Report over the coming months with a view to developing a comprehensive Government Action Plan to address eight specific themes to include:

• A survivor-centred approach;
• Apology;
• Access to Personal Information;
• Archiving and Databases;
• Education and Research;
• Memorialisation;
• Restorative Recognition;
• Dignified Burial.

Monaghan County Council, as a public assistance authority, had responsibility for unmarried mothers and their children and the operation of the County Home in Castleblayney until 1970.
The Council sincerely apologises to the residents, their children/adopted people, their families and the relatives of those who resided in the Mother and Baby Homes or the county home, who suffered and were mis-treated while resident there.

Monaghan County Council will actively participate with Government in furthering the development of the Government Action Plan as it relates to local government and as it relates to County Monaghan.

Monaghan County Council commits to supporting local measures that form part of the suite of follow-up actions, for example, in relation to memorialisation and access to archives and records.

In this regard, the Council will request that Government brings forward, as a priority, the legislation required to enable survivors and adopted people the right to access their records and personal information, which will be an important step in addressing the concerns expressed by the residents. We also call for robust supports* to be put in place that are unconditional. Most of all, we ask that the women and girls, and their now adult children, are listened to and respected.

While the Council’s apology cannot undo the pain and suffering, it is an acknowledgement of our deep regret that the women and girls, and their children, were failed by the State and a recognition that the Council was part of that failure.