News

A Research Report has been launched titled:

All-Ireland Disaster Risk Reduction

Advancing a Focused Cross-Border Approach to Public Service Messaging in Emergency Management.

Public safety messaging on the island of Ireland requires proactive cross-border coordination among public authorities at strategic and operational levels, according to a new report by researchers at Maynooth University.

The report, Advancing a Focused Cross-Border Approach to Public Service Messaging in Emergency Management, was presented by MU’s International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) and launched by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, in Clones Fire Station, Co Monaghan.

The research team included Dr Cormac Walsh, a senior research associate with the ICLRD along with ICLRD director Caroline Creamer of MU’s Social Sciences Institute (MUSSI) and Innovation Value Institute (IVI), Dr Tadhg MacIntyre of the Department of Psychology, Dr Brendan Keegan of MU’s School of Business and Dr Adrienne McCann.

The study was an initiative of Monaghan County Council, a member of the Cross Border Emergency Management Group (CBEMG), collaborating directly with colleagues in Northern Ireland, including Fermanagh and Omagh District Councils. County Monaghan is in a unique geographical position as it shares the border with three counties and four district councils and has almost 100 of the 270 crossings with Northern Ireland.

The research, which draws from two cases studies in the towns of Clones, Co Monaghan and Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, found that public safety messaging is not only about providing information to the public. “It is fundamentally about community engagement and providing effective empathic leadership in times of crisis,” the report says.

It recommended that public safety messaging be universal, incorporating both analogue and digital means, and reach all sections of society, including the elderly, people with disabilities and people for whom English is not their first language.

According to Caroline Creamer, MU-based Director of the ICLRD: “Cross-border regions face specific challenges in emergency management – from infrastructural deficits, poor mobile phone coverage, and an over-reliance on commercial social media platforms to disseminate messaging to all sections of society.”

“While one would expect that the task of communicating key messages or warnings to the public in cases of emergency would have become easier with more advanced communication technologies, this has not been the case. Rather, public safety messaging must compete for attention in an increasingly crowded media landscape. Clear, timely and effective communication is essential to emergency management and disaster risk reduction – whether at the scale of a national emergency or a localised incident.”

The report says that international experience indicates that location-based SMS at a local level can complement a national cell broadcast system, while a dedicated telephone line should be established to provide local and regionally specific information on current incidents and risks in accessible language.

It also noted that effective emergency management communication is dependent on the ability of citizens to reliably contact the emergency services by telephone from their home or place of work. It said public investment is required to improve mobile phone network coverage in the cross-border region.

It recommends that local authorities should consider producing a joint preparedness brochure or booklet with key contact information for emergency response agencies, for distribution to community organisations. “The booklet should provide information on potential risks in the cross-border region, where relevant, referencing past events (e.g., flooding, wildfires).”

Where a severe weather alert is issued in either Northern Ireland or the Republic or both, the Cross Border Emergency Management Group should issue joint guidance specific to the cross-border region, providing clarity and reducing the potential for confusion or complacency, the report recommends. In the case of prolonged incidents, such as pandemic or prolonged flood incidents, procedures should be introduced to ensure public safety messaging in each jurisdiction is kept as consistent as possible, it says.

The report also suggests that multi-organisational demonstration and contingency scenario exercises, organised on a cross-border basis, can be an effective means of preparing for potential cross-border incidents and demonstrating to the public that the capacity for an effective cross-border response exists and can be called upon.

“Monaghan County Council, as a member of the CBEMG, welcomed the opportunity to lead this research study and collaborate directly with our colleagues in Northern Ireland. The study afforded an opportunity to engage directly with statutory agencies and community groups on both sides of the border via focus group sessions to obtain a qualitative overview of current practice,” MCC Chief Fire Officer Dermot Brannigan said.

Robert Burns, Monaghan County Council Chief Executive, welcomed the report: “A whole of society approach to communication is a critical task of responding agencies’ during emergency incidents, and more so now in an era of changing methods of communication. Embracing technological both change and progress, while also ensuring a trusted narrative will form the basis of all our future plans.”

you can download the report in PDF format here:

ICLRD Cross Border Public Safety Full Report (PDF)

It is intended that the sensory garden will allow visitors to enjoy a wide variety of sensory experiences. The garden will be designed to provide opportunities to stimulate the senses, both individually and in a combination of ways that users may not usually encounter. The proposal includes hard and soft landscaping works, surface paving, planting, boundary treatments and all other associated site development works and services.

It will form part of a package of proposals aimed at consolidating and enhancing the existing amenities at Cloughvalley Park.

Your Feedback

Your feedback on the Sensory Garden and Outdoor Educational Space at Cloughvalley is important to us, and we encourage you to participate in the consultation. Please refer to the Materials section on this page for additional images. This consultation will remain open for a period of three weeks, closing on 5pm on the 25^th  June 2024.

How to Make a Submission

Written observations or submissions must be received by 5pm on the 25^th  June 2024

Online here

OR

In writing marked “Cloughvalley Sensory Garden and Outdoor Educational Space” to:

Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District, Civic Offices, Riverside Road, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, A81 RY22

 

We understand that online information cannot be accessed by everyone, therefore, the Materials attached will also be available for inspection at Carrickmacross Civic Offices, at the above address, Monday – Friday 09:30 to 16:30, from the 4^th of June 2024.

Please note late submissions cannot be considered and will be returned. Submissions should be in ONE medium only, either online or hard copy.

 

https://monaghan.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sensory-garden-Carrick.jpg

Minimize the risks with advice from Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland & RNLI

The Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland & the RNLI have issued advice to help keep people safe at Ireland’s waterways over the
June bank holiday weekend.

Water based activities increase at this time of year, as do the number of incidents in which people get into difficulty. Minimize the risks with the following advice for a safe enjoyable bank holiday weekend.

How to enjoy water-based activities safely:
• Check the forecast for your local area, including tide times and sea conditions for coastal activities.
• Always carry a means of calling for help and keep it within reach.
• Water temperatures are still cold. Acclimatise by getting in slowly, swim within your depth and avoid staying in the
water for extended periods. Swimmers should be aware of rip currents and if caught in one should swim parallel to
shore and then back to land.
• Swim with others, never alone, in recognised, traditionally safe bathing areas. Lifeguarded waterways are listed at
https://watersafety.ie/lifeguards/.
• Supervise children at all times near water and never use inflatable toys in open water as currents and breezes can
cause persons to be swept out to sea, endangering those onboard or others trying to assist.
• If you find yourself struggling in the water unexpectedly remember Float to Live. The best way to float is to tilt your
head back with your ears submerged. Try to relax and breathe normally. You can gently move your hands to help you
stay afloat if you need to. Spread your arms and legs out to improve stability. Once your breathing is under control,
call for help or swim to safety.
• Stranding is a risk when low tides expose areas of the coastline for walkers to explore sandbanks. Watch out for
incoming tides, local signage, and always carry a fully charged mobile phone.
• Wear a Personal Flotation Device when paddleboarding, kayaking or boating, or when angling from shore.
• Avoid alcohol as it impairs judgment, balance and coordination – all essential for swimming and boating and avoiding
hazards in the water.

If you see somebody in trouble on the water or along the coast or if you suspect that they are in trouble, dial 112 or use Marine
VHF channel 16 and ask for the Coast Guard

Call for applications

National Heritage Week, an initiative by the Heritage Council, celebrates all things heritage. It brings together communities, families, organisations, cultural institutions, academics and enthusiasts, to build awareness about the value of heritage and support its conservation. The theme for National Heritage Week 2024 is “Connections, Routes and Networks”.

Monaghan County Council Heritage Office are offering grant assistance to organisers to hold events that meet the objectives of National Heritage Week https://www.heritageweek.ie/

Who can apply:

This grant scheme is open to individuals/community groups and not for profit organisations, heritage and biodiversity groups, venues and societies.

All groups in receipt of funding from Monaghan County Council must be members of Monaghan PPN.

What Funding is available:

The level of grant assistance for any one event will range from €100 to €1000.

To be eligible for funding projects/events must:

• take place in County Monaghan and celebrate an element of Monaghan’s heritage.
• be organised by an individual/community/voluntary group based in Monaghan.
• proposed event must be run during heritage week 17^th – 25^th August 2024.

How to apply:

Please visit https://monaghan.ie/heritage/heritage-grants/ for application form and guidance. Any queries can also be sent to the Heritage Office email heritage@monaghancoco.ie .

• The closing date for applications is 4pm on Friday 14^th June 2024.

Staff from our Roads, Active Travel and Community Sections together with John O’Flaherty, Tobin Consultants attended a public consultation meeting on the evening of Wednesday 22^nd May in Ballinode Community Hall, which was extremely well attended.

This event provided a platform for the Council to inform the community about the preferred route option linking the villages of Ballinode and Scotstown, and to listen to the views and concerns of all.  The positive feedback and meaningful engagement demonstrated the need and desire to build a stronger connection and to provide safe facilities for pedestrians and cyclists between the two villages.

Monaghan County Council are exploring the option of trialling a “Quiet road” in Monaghan and the concept was presented to those in attendance.

Quiet Roads or Quiet Lanes are designated rural roads where traffic volumes and vehicles speeds are relatively low. The objectives of such a scheme are:

• Aim to encourage people to travel by walking, wheeling or cycling.
• Preserve the character and tranquillity of the rural environment and contain traffic growth.
• Support access to outdoors for everyone.

Key Elements would include:

1. Community involvement to encourage a change in driver behaviour.
2. Area-wide directional signing to discourage or reroute through traffic.
3. Quiet road entry and exit signs to remind drivers that they are entering or exiting a Quiet Road – may expect people to be using the whole of the road space for a range of activities
4. Safety measures such as- traffic calming, passing bays/pull in areas, vertical/horizontal deflections, improvement in sight lines, reduced speed limits.

 

Following on from the public consultation and meetings with community groups and landowners, council staff are going to explore funding opportunities with Department of Transport. The DOT have committed to establish a working group to determine the design details and legislative changes necessary to implement such a scheme in Ireland. It is hoped that this could be a pilot in County Monaghan, and we look forward to working with all stakeholders in the future with a view to having this innovative scheme implemented.

Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this very important discussion.

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER – Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) has re-opened with a closing date of 29^th May, 2024

• If you are in rate arrears engage with your Local Authority as you may be eligible for the grant
• If you do not have your ID or PIN number contact your Local Authority
• Retail and Hospitality Businesses are now entitled to a second payment for approved businesses and a double payment for new registrations?

Overview

As part of Budget 2024, the government signed off on a package of €257 million for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. Local authorities, funded through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), will manage the rollout of the grant to qualifying businesses.

Local authorities have written to rate payers with details of registration.

If you do not have your ID and PIN number you should contact your rates section in your Local Authority as soon as possible

Eligibility

Eligible businesses will receive a once-off grant payment as a contribution towards the rising costs faced by businesses. It is not a Commercial Rates waiver and businesses should continue to pay their Commercial Rates bill as normal.

The grant is based on the value of the Commercial Rates bill received by an eligible business in 2023.

For qualifying businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill of less than €10,000, the ICOB grant will be paid at a rate of 50% of the business’s Commercial Rate bill for 2023.

For qualifying businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill of between €10,000 and €30,000, the ICOB grant will be €5,000.

Businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rates bill greater than €30,000 are not eligible to receive an ICOB grant.

Businesses in the Retail and Hospitality Sectors are entitled to a second payment for approved businesses and a double payment for new registrations.

Registration 

The closing date is now 29^th May 2024, REGISTER NOW on ICOB.ie.

For more information and registration visit icob.ie.

Ulster Senior Football Championship Final.  Armagh V Donegal – St. Tiernach’s Park Clones, 4pm Sunday May 12^th #cloneshomeofulsterfootball

• Pre-Match Entertainment 12pm to 3pm
• Live Outdoor Music
• Street Food Vendors
• Family Friendly, Face Painting, Arts & Crafts

 

Clones will host the 136^th Ulster Senior Football Championship Final on Sunday May 12^th, throw-in at 4pm.  Monaghan County Council in partnership with Clones Town Team and Clones St. Tiernach’s GAA Club are hosting pre-match entertainment on Ulster Final Day, commencing at 12pm and running until 3pm.

Live outdoor music will be located on The Diamond with street food vendors throughout the town. A family friendly zone will be located in Barry McGuigan Park with local artists in attendance for face painting & arts activities for the kiddies.  The park will also have live music, a food vendor, and public toilets.

Match goers will enjoy great food and friendly service as they experience the famous Clones pre-match atmosphere #cloneshomeofulsterfootball