News

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) 2023 to support small to medium capital projects which enhance the environment of town or village centres. Grant funding for projects will range from €20,000 to €500,000.

Following the launch of Our Rural Future, and subsequently the Town Centre First Policy, there has been some amendments to the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. Our Rural Future will see increased investment out to 2025 in remote working infrastructure to provide an opportunity for people to continue to live in rural communities while following their career ambitions.

The 2023 Scheme is designed to support the revitalisation of rural Ireland through a renewed focus on town centre regeneration and enhancing economic and social vibrancy in line with the Town Centre First policy.

The 2023 Scheme will focus on objectives such as:

• Town Regeneration projects
• Enhancing our streetscapes
• Green spaces / recreational amenities in town or village centres
• Refurbishment of existing community centres
• A new option to allow local authorities to acquire plots of land to enable development of town regeneration, such as town parks, plazas, etc.
• Bringing vacant and derelict buildings/ back into use as multi-purpose or community spaces
• Projects to support town or village centre markets, e.g. farmers markets or artisan markets.
• Town/village centre plaza development

The 2023 scheme will be targeted at three categories of Towns/Villages as follows:

• Category 1: Towns and villages with a population of up to 5,000 people.
• Category 2: Towns with a population of 5,001 to 10,000 people.
• Category 3: Larger towns with a population of up to 15,000 people may be eligible where the application is of a high quality and outlines a strong need for the investment, good value for money        and positive outcomes that will have a substantial impact on the town.

Grant Levels

For the 2023 Scheme, the minimum grant which is available is €20,000.

The maximum level of grant funding available is €500,000 in respect of one application from each Local Authority.

A maximum of €250,000 will apply in respect of 4 applications.

1 application must be in respect of Towns/Villages that have not previously received funding under the Standard Town & Village Renewal Scheme in the last 3 years.

As in previous years, applications will be assessed on a competitive basis.

Please ensure that you have fully completed the application form before submitting.

All Expressions of Interest should be received no later than 5.00 p.m. on Monday 28^th August 2023 by email to townandvillage@monaghancoco.ie

Late Expression of Interest’s will not be considered after the closing date.

Application form and Scheme outline located here: https://monaghan.ie/communitydevelopment/2023/07/26/town-and-village-renewal-scheme-2023-applications-are-open-now/

Fire, road, and water safety officers across Ireland are joining forces for ‘Amber Thursday’ to promote fire, road, and water safety over the August bank holiday weekend.

Dermot Brannigan, Chief Fire Officer with Monaghan County Council is encouraging the public to be aware of the risks from fires. “This time of year, can be a busy period for fire fighters so everyone should be aware of how quickly a fire can spread and a small incident can escalate into a larger one if not managed safely. I’m encouraging members of the public to enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend but to bear in mind the potential of fire related incidents. Keep children away from fires and have a bucket of water or sand nearby for emergencies. Never light a barbeque or a campfire in parks, woodland areas or in areas close to vegetation or trees and be mindful not to discard any cigarette butts on the ground.”

Road Safety Officer with Monaghan County Council, Adrian O’Sullivan, stressed the importance for road users to be cautious and courteous towards one another. “It’s imperative that motorists do not drive while under the influence of intoxicants such as  alcohol or illegal drugs and that all passengers are wearing a seatbelt or appropriate seat restraint.  Before setting off on a long journey, ensure your vehicle is roadworthy, plan your journey, drive within the posted speed limits, and take regular breaks to avoid driver fatigue.”

Gearóid McCarthy, Water Safety Development Officer with Monaghan County Council reminds everyone to be aware and not to be lulled into a false sense of security around water.  “As Monaghan is a landlocked county, some people may choose to swim in one of Monaghan’s many lakes and rivers particularly during any warm spells of weather. However, these can pose their own dangers as they may contain hidden obstacles that can trap or make it more difficult to move around.  Cold water in lakes can often be much deeper and colder beneath the surface than you may expect”.

“Most water related tragedies in Ireland occur in inland waterways. Reservoirs are not appropriate for swimming due to the risk of deep and fast-flowing waters, changing water levels and uneven ground” added the Water Safety Development Officer.

Amber Thursday is supported by Local Authorities, the Chief Fire Officers Association, and Water Safety Ireland. Further information can be found at amberthursday.ie.

Pictured (L-R):

Dermot Brannigan – Chief Fire Officer, Adrian O’Sullivan – Road Safety Officer, Niall Nolan – Station Officer, Clones fire Station and Siobhan McKenna – Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer

Electrical Recycling Drop Off Days: Oram Sarsfields GAA Club, Castleblaney, Monaghan

 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:

Oram Sarsfields GAA Club, Castleblaney, Monaghan on Friday August 18th 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!

On behalf of Monaghan County Council, Fermanagh and Omagh County Council and Mid Ulster District Council, the study seeks to identify opportunities to help develop the Sliabh Beagh area as a destination with a fantastic welcome and unforgettable eco-tourism experience. Funded through the ‘Shared Island’ programme, this study will generate a series of well-developed cross-border local authority projects that will be in a position to secure funding for the construction or implementation stages.

An opportunity for members of the public to view ideas regarding the development of the Sliabh Beagh Region as an eco-tourism destination has been arranged. A drop-in information session is being held at the Sliabh Beagh Hotel in Knockatallon on Tuesday 1st August, between 6-9pm. Please feel free to come along at any point between 6-9pm to view the ideas being put forward and talk to the consultants about your views. You can register to attend at the following link – https://forms.office.com/e/ef0nA9xGyC

If you are unable to attend in person, an online survey will be available shortly where you can provide comments and find out more about the project at https://www.outdoorrecreationni.com/news/sliabh-beagh-drop-in/

Notice is hereby given that the Municipal District of Monaghan proposes amendments to the Parking Control (Pay Parking) & Car Park Bye Laws 2023.

Draft Parking Control (Pay Parking) & Car Park Bye Laws 2023 can be viewed at the following locations;

1. The Municipal District of Monaghan Office, The Glen, Monaghan
2. The Planning Office, Dublin Street, Monaghan
3. Monaghan Town Library, North Road, Monaghan
4. Online at Monaghan.ie/news

The Council invites submissions from members of the public in respect of these Draft Bye Laws. Submissions in writing can be forwarded to the Monaghan Municipal District, Council Offices, The Glen, Monaghan or emailed to monaghan@monaghancoco.ie by Thursday 10^th August 2023.

View below:

Parking Control (Pay Parking) & Car Parks Bye-Laws 2023

Donal McElwain

Municipal District Co-Ordinator

20^th July 2023

ATTENTION
Monaghan County Council’s Environment section have received notification of a Poor Water Quality Result at the Lough Muckno Bathing Area

Bathers are advised not to swim at this location due to an increase in levels of bacteria found in a sample taken at the bathing water area at Lough Muckno on the 03/07/23.

Samples taken at the Lough Muckno Black Island Point and Lough Muckno Water Sports Area on the same date did not show exceedances for this parameter, further analysis and investigations are ongoing

To reduce the risk of illness , users should take the following precautions:

• Avoid swallowing or splashing water
• Wash your hands before handling food
• Avoid swimming with an open cut or wound
• Avoid swimming if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system

Higher levels of bacteria are usually short-lived.

Monaghan County Council have arranged for further samples to be taken.

For further information please contact Environmental Services 042-9661240

The Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, T.D., today (Wednesday June 21) called on electors and potential electors to engage with the latest Check the Register campaign.

The campaign launching today aims to encourage everyone, including those already registered to vote, to go to checktheregister.ie and either confirm or update their details. In a year when there is a referendum promised and less than 12 months before we have local and European elections Minister Noonan is encouraging everyone to act now to get ahead to ensure their information is correct. He said:

“Local authorities around the country are gearing up for a substantial body of work over the summer months to update the electoral register and further improve its accuracy but they can’t do it on their own. Even if we’re already on the register, we all have a part to play and we can do this by checking and either confirming or updating our information. Adding details including date of birth and PPSN allows local authorities to cross-check and confirm the information provided by each person, adding to the integrity of the process.

We can also let local authorities know about other changes needed, for example in relation to family members who are deceased and still on the register, I think we all know that it can be upsetting for a loved one to receive a polling card for someone no longer with us.”

A campaign run in November last yielded over 35,000 applications through the Check the Register website during the course of the campaign and a total of 76,000 to date. The Minister hopes that the simplicity of the process will see significant numbers of people confirming or updating their information.

This campaign will see a national campaign roll out on broadcast, outdoor and digital channels. Local authorities will also undertake activities in their local area to encourage people to get their details up to date in advance of the opportunities to vote taking place in the year ahead.

“Voters across the country now have a simple and straightforward way of engaging with their local authority on the electoral register through checktheregister.ie. Those in the Dublin region can also use Voter.ie. The ability to engage online has been a game-changer in the registration process both for registration authorities and for the wider public. These changes give us a more accessible, flexible and modern system that’s simple and straightforward to use. It has never been easier or quicker for people to register to vote or update their details, or simply let the local authority know that their details are current and correct by adding their PPSN and date of birth, so that’s what we’re encouraging everyone to do today”.

Canada Day in Monaghan recognises the historical and ever increasing links shared between our two great countries.

 Why Canada Day in Monaghan?

In 1994 County Monaghan entered into a municipal twinning agreement with Prince Edward Island as it is within this small island of 140,000 inhabitants, located in the Atlantic Maritimes region, that the most concentrated population of Monaghan descendants exists today outside of Ireland. From research conducted over three decades ago by Professor Brendan O’Grady University of PEI, letters and documents from ship manifests and church records verify that over three thousand immigrants arrived to PEI from 1830 to 1845, mostly from the parishes of Monaghan/Rackwallace, Tydavnet, Clontibret, Donagh, Glaslough and Emyvale. The annual events held by the Fort Augustus Irish Descendants Association celebrate their links with Monaghan as well as the significant contribution their forebears had in the social, economic and cultural development of their island.

In 1999 a similar twinning agreement was signed between Monaghan County Council and Miramichi City Council in recognition of the strong ancestral links that exist between this region and Ireland. The largest Irish festival in Canada has been held here continuously for 32 years, Canada’s Irish Festival on the Miramichi, and is home of the renowned Nelson Doyle School of Irish Dancing.

The above is a snapshot of the wonderful affinity that exists between Canada, County Monaghan and the entire island of Ireland where hundreds of thousands departed in search of a better life across the huge expanses of Canada. That migratory pattern prevails once again today where tens of thousands of young Irish take enthusiasm and knowledge across the Atlantic to work within the strong Canadian economy.

There is much to celebrate between our two countries, culture and shared heritage. Come to Monaghan for the July 1^st weekend and be part of that celebration!

The vital work of Monaghan County Council employees and the role they play in our county’s social and economic life is being highlighted on ‘Your Council Day’,  which takes place on Friday 23rd June.

Local authorities provide thousands of services with the aim of making great places in which to live, work and invest. Across social media, #YourCouncilDay will showcase the work of our committed and passionate local authority employees who are working to make a difference to the lives of the people in their community.

“Monaghan County Council plays a key role in the physical, cultural, social and environmental development of our communities” said Cathaoirleach David Maxwell.

“From the services you might commonly associate with councils like roads or housing, to other areas like community development, heritage, the arts, tourism, environment, Monaghan County Council is working for everyone. Our employees are at the heart of what we do and on Your Council Day, we are celebrating the innovative ways they serve their community and aiming to make sure that the public are aware of the services available to them.”

On Your Council Day local authorities including Monaghan County Council will provide a ‘behind the scenes’ look at a typical day in the council to show the public the variety of services their council provides.

Social media users are encouraged to follow their local authority on social media or share their experiences of council initiatives using the hashtag #YourCouncilDay / #DoLásaChomhairle.

Follow @MonaghanCoCo or #YourCouncilDay / #DoLásaChomhairle to find out what’s happening in County Monaghan during Your Council Day.