News

Dr Lois O’Connor, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE Public Health Area A, said: “The surge of respiratory illnesses in the community is putting significant pressure on our health services across the region. We can reduce this burden by staying at home from work, school and crèche if you are sick, and getting your flu and COVID-19 vaccines.”

“We are seeing very high levels of respiratory viruses including flu, COVID-19 and RSV. If you have respiratory symptoms please stay at home. As schools and childcare facilities reopen this week we also ask parents and guardians to keep their children home from school/crèche if they are sick.”

“It’s not too late for people to get the flu vaccine or COVID-19 booster. Even though vaccines take two weeks to work, vaccination is an effective, safe way to protect you and people around you from flu and COVID-19. This is especially important for those at higher risk including older people, people with chronic health conditions, people who are pregnant, and young children.

Dr O’Connor added: “Flu and COVID-19 are caused by two different viruses and require two different vaccines. You can get the flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster vaccine at the same time. Those aged 18-49 can now get their second COVID-19 booster vaccine. For information on how to book a COVID-19 or flu vaccine, visit the HSE website or call our team on HSELive on 1800 700 700.”

In addition to getting vaccinated, help prevent the spread of respiratory illness by:

• Washing your hands often with soap and warm water.
• Staying at home from work, school or crèche if you or your child is sick.
• Avoiding visits to vulnerable or elderly people if you are sick.
• Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze – put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands.
• Ensuring adequate ventilation in indoor settings, including opening windows and doors where possible to reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses.
• Cleaning objects and surfaces that other people touch frequently.
• Wearing a mask to protect yourself and those around you, especially in confined spaces like public transport.

Emergency Departments continue to be extremely busy due to the unprecedented combination of very high levels of flu, COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses in circulation. HSE Public Health Area A is appealing to people seeking medical care or assessment to consider all options before going to a hospital Emergency Department. Urgent patients will always be prioritised for treatment and care.

Other options available if you are feeling unwell or are injured are:

Community Pharmacies:

You can visit your local pharmacy if you feel unwell. Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals. They can give you medicines you can buy without a prescription, medicines you have a prescription for, advice on minor illnesses, and can tell you if you need to see a GP.

GPs and GP Out-of-Hours Services:

Some GPs are running additional clinics during this time. If you urgently need to see a GP outside their clinic hours, you can contact your local GP out-of-hours service.

Minor Injury Units:

Injury units treat injuries that are not life-threatening. For example, broken bones, dislocations and burns. You do not need an appointment. There are 11 HSE Injury Unit locations, you can find one close to you on the HSE website: www2.hse.ie/services/injury-units.

Monaghan County Council is now inviting applications for funding under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) 2023.

Overview

The BHIS seeks to encourage the investment of private capital in a number of small-scale, labour-intensive projects to repair and conserve historic structures and to support the employment of skilled and experienced conservation professionals, craftspeople, and tradespersons in the repair of the historic built environment. The scheme is designed to assist the owners and/or occupiers of structures/properties that are protected or proposed to be protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), and also historic thatched structures/properties not currently protected or proposed to be protected. The scheme is being administered by Monaghan County Council’s Planning Section.

Eligibility

The categories of structures/properties eligible for funding under this scheme are:

• Protected Structures
• Proposed Protected Structures
• Structures/properties in Architectural Conservation Areas or within the amenity of a National Monument, where exceptional circumstances are deemed by the Department to apply
• Historic thatched structures which are neither currently protected/nor proposed for protection

Funding available

The minimum funding award under this scheme will be €2,500, up to a maximum of €15,000. Successful applicants will be required to, at a minimum, match their funding award. The overall allocation for County Monaghan in 2023 is €96,000.

In addition to the above allocation, a further €5,000 of ring-fenced funding has been allocated to County Monaghan under the 2023 BHIS for conservation repairs to thatched structures to maximise the availability of financial assistance to such owners, helping them offset other costs. The funded works are not limited to repairs to the thatch itself and all eligible conservation works listed in the BHIS Circular will be eligible for funding under this stream. Although the mainstream BHIS generally requires private match funding of a minimum of 50% of the total project cost, the ring-fenced thatch stream will only require a minimum of 20% match funding. Unlike the mainstream BHIS, the match funding may include other grant funding.

Note: Applicants may apply for funding under both the Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2023 and the Historic Structures Fund 2023, but cannot avail of funding from both schemes in the same year.

How to apply

The BHIS 2023 Circular outlines full details of the terms and conditions of the funding. The circular, application form and associated information are available to download at https://monaghan.ie/planning/built-heritage-investment-scheme/. Hard copies are also available at the Planning Office.

Completed applications using Form A and accompanied by a comprehensive method statement must be submitted to Angela Gallagher, Administrative Officer, Planning Section, No.1 Dublin Street, Monaghan Town, H18 X982 or emailed to builtheritage@monaghancoco.ie on or before the 31^{st of} January 2023.

Signed: Cathal Flynn

Director of Service

Economic Development, Planning & Capital Projects

Monaghan County Council

Date: 5^th January 2023

Monaghan County Council is now inviting applications for funding under the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) 2023.

Overview

The primary focus of the Historic Structures Fund is on conservation and enhancement of historic structures and buildings for the benefit of communities and the public.  It aims to enable conservation works to be carried out on heritage structures which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support. The scheme is designed to assist the owners and/or occupiers of structures/properties that are protected or proposed to be protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), structures/properties in Architectural Conservation Areas, and also vernacular structures/properties not currently protected or proposed to be protected. The scheme is being administered by Monaghan County Council’s Planning Section.

Project promoters are encouraged to incorporate a traditional skills training element in the project. Applications in respect of refurbishment or reuse projects involving heritage structures, and where a clear residential benefit is demonstrated, will be welcomed (subject to obtaining any necessary planning approvals).

The Historic Structures Fund 2023 is structured as follows:

1. Stream 1 offers grants from €15,000 up to €50,000 and is aimed at essential repairs and smaller capital works for the refurbishment and conservation of heritage structures. The maximum grant award will be 80% of eligible costs.
2. Stream 1, Historic Shopfronts sub-stream is aimed at incentivising the refurbishment and conservation of historic shopfronts and Irish-language shopfronts and will fund small capital works to their facades, windows, signage, and other associated details. The maximum grant award will be 80% of eligible costs.
3. Stream 2 offers a small number of grants from €50,000 up to €200,000 for larger enhancement, refurbishment or reuse projects involving heritage structures, where:
4. a clear community or public benefit has been demonstrated, or
5. a clear residential benefit has been demonstrated

(subject to obtaining any necessary planning approvals).

Successful applicants will be required to, at a minimum, match their funding award by 50% of eligible costs.  In exceptional circumstances a higher percentage may be sought, subject to a maximum of 80% of eligible costs. Grant may be phased over two years.

4. Vernacular Structures Stream – offers funding of between €5,000 and €10,000 to support conservation repairs and small capital works for the refurbishment and conservation of vernacular structures that are not listed in local authority Records of Protected Structures or otherwise legally protected to safeguard the structure and keep it in use. Such structures may be located within an Architectural Conservation Area or comprise ‘informal’ traditional buildings, which are a significant part of our intangible cultural heritage. The maximum grant award will be 80% of eligible costs.

Projects in Partnership – The Minister may designate part of the Fund for projects in partnership with State-funded organisations such as the Office of Public Works, the Irish Heritage Trust, Waterways Ireland, The Irish Landmark Trust, and others, to care for historic structures and buildings in public ownership and improve recreational infrastructure and public access to these heritage assets. Funds will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Eligibility

Streams 1 and 2, Historic Shopfronts sub stream and Partnership Projects

In respect of projects categorised under Streams 1 and 2, the Historic Shopfronts sub stream and any Partnership Projects designated by the Minister the categories of structures/properties eligible for funding under this scheme are:

• Protected Structures
• Proposed Protected Structures
• Structures/properties in Architectural Conservation Areas

or within the amenity of a National Monument, where exceptional circumstances apply.

Eligible projects will be as follows:

1. a) projects proposed by local authorities on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of historic structures
2. b) projects proposed by a Local Authority for works to historic structures in public ownership, where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated
3. c) projects with a clearly defined heritage focus and community or public benefit proposed directly to the Department by a State-funded organisation working in the heritage area.

Vernacular Structures Stream

Vernacular structures are the buildings and other built features of what can be termed the ‘informal’ or vernacular landscape. Vernacular builders worked within traditional systems using techniques passed down within the family and local community. Thus, the vernacular is a significant part of our intangible cultural heritage.

In respect of the Vernacular Structures Stream applications can be accepted from the following:

1. a) Owners of vernacular structures that are not listed in the Record of Protected Structures
2. b) Owners of vernacular structures within an Architectural Conservation Area, but not otherwise subject to statutory protection.

Eligible projects will be as follows:

1. a) Projects proposed by local authorities on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of vernacular structures
2. b) Projects proposed by local authorities for works to vernacular structures in public ownership where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated

Note: Only one application will be considered per vernacular structure or applicant. Applicants may apply for funding under both the Historic Structures Fund 2023 and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2023, but cannot avail of funding from both schemes in the same year.

How to apply

The HSF 2023 Circular outlines full details of the terms and conditions of the various funding streams. The Circular and application form are available to download at https://monaghan.ie/planning/historic-structures-fund/

Hard copies are also available at the Planning Offices Reception.

Completed applications using Form A and accompanied by a comprehensive method statement must be submitted to Angela Gallagher, Administrative Officer, Planning Section, No.1 Dublin Street, Monaghan Town, H18 X982 or emailed to builtheritage@monaghancoco.ie  on or before the 31^st January 2023.

Sadly, we have been informed by Komeer that they are withdrawing from the messaging service market on 31^st December.  We are working hard to put a replacement service in place, which will be up and running before the end of January. We will be contacting existing subscribers by text with the details for downloading the new App when available.

If you are a current subscriber to Monaghan Community Alerts, and wish to continue receiving alerts from the new service, you can take action now to ensure that you data is carried over to the new service:

• If you are a Komeer APP user, you will receive a notice on your app informing you of the upcoming cessation of the service and inviting you to respond ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to whether you wish to have your details carried over to the new app.  Please do this before 31^st December, as your response won’t be recorded after that date.
• Subscribers who signed up to receive messages by text will be contacted by text once the new service is in place, and will be given the option at that time to opt in or out of the new service.

Thank you for supporting Monaghan Community Alerts and for helping to ensure Co. Monaghan remains one of the safest places to live in Ireland. Monaghan Joint Policing Committee

Monaghan County Council

Emergency Cover arrangements for the Christmas period

The Offices of Monaghan County Council including the offices of the Municipal District of Carrickmacross-Castleblayney, Municipal District of Ballybay-Clones, Municipal District of Monaghan will be closed on Friday, 23 December 2022 at 4.00 pm and will re-open on Tuesday, 03 January 2023 at 9:15 a.m.

The Motor Taxation Office at Market Street, Monaghan will close to the public on Friday, 23 December, 2022 at 1.00 pm and will re-open to the public on Tuesday, 03 January 2023 at 9.30 am.

In emergency cases only, the following number may be contacted:

1800 121 121

Notice for our Tenants

In the event of EMERGENCY or URGENT MAINTENANCE repairs arising over the Christmas period when the offices are closed (23^rd December 2022 to 3^rd January 2023) you may contact the Emergency/Out of Hours numbers detailed below to report the damage.

The contact details are as follows:

Normal services will resume on Tuesday 3^rd January 2022.

Tenants can contact Housing Section on 047 30515 from Mon-Fri between 9:15am to 17:15pm to report any maintenance issue as normal.

Tuesday, 20 December 2022 – Following the freezing weather last week and the subsequent thaw, Irish Water continues to remind householders and businesses in Co Monaghan to check for leaks on their properties and report leaks on the public network via www.water.ie or by calling 1800 278 278.

The sub-zero temperatures in recent days have increased the number of frozen water pipes and bursts, causing increased pressure on water supplies across the county. Freezing water expands and strains the pipes until they crack or burst, not only impacting older, weakened pipes but also modern pipes that are laid in shallow ground and vulnerable to temperature drops.

Irish Water crews are on the ground, working in partnership with Monaghan County Council, to maintain essential water and wastewater services. Investigations into leaks caused by burst mains continue to take place at several locations. While our raw water reservoirs and sources are full at this time of year, demand for water in Monaghan has increased and is putting pressure on the supply of treated water in our storage reservoirs. 

Customers can also do their bit to help avoid expensive repairs and disrupted water supply at home or in their business by taking a few easy, preventative measures. These include checking outside pipes that can become frozen and burst during periods of cold weather and, if possible, turn off water supply to these areas or to any unoccupied premises. They can also report a leak on the public network online via Irish Water’s dedicated webpage or by calling the customer team on 1800 278 278. 

We would also ask people never to leave taps running as this will not necessarily prevent pipes from freezing and can bleed the network and seriously impact your local water supply.

Peter Gallagher, Operations Lead for Irish Water, offered this advice: “With the temperatures having been below freezing and some element of thaw beginning it is essential to continue the regular maintenance of your property and check premises for leaks. It also a good idea to familiarise yourself with your own internal water system and particularly how to turn off your supply at the stopcock so that you can protect your property in the event of a burst pipe. 

“We also recommend that people don’t run taps continually as this is not an effective way of preventing frozen pipes and can cause other problems such as frozen drains. It also puts further pressure on water supplies that are already challenged by the freezing conditions. For example, in one rural location this year we saw an example of where a single hosepipe left running overnight resulted in 60 people being without water.

“We are constantly monitoring the levels of our reservoirs throughout the county, however, some homes and business in the county may experience low water pressure or loss of supply due to a combination of increased demand and burst watermains. To protect and maintain supply while we conduct repairs, we are asking customers to assist us by checking for bursts and overflowing troughs on their own properties, and turning these off where they are found. We are also asking customers to check unoccupied and empty premises.

“To help people avoid issues like this and stay safe, warm and comfortable during the cold snap, we have lots of helpful advice on our website, www.water.ie/winterproofing. There is also advice on general winter readiness at www.winterready.ie.”

The Irish Water Customer Care Team is also available to help 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and there is lots of advice on being winter ready on Twitter @IrishWater. 

Monaghan County Council has today, published its Gender Pay Gap Report for 2022. The gender pay gap is the difference in the average hourly wage of men and women across a workforce. Employers with more than 250 employees in Ireland are now required to publish their gender pay gap data.

The 2022 report shows a Mean Gender Pay Gap that on average, males are paid 1.12% more than females. The Median Gender Pay Gap shows that the median rate of pay for females is 8.50% higher than the median rate of pay for males.

Publishing our gender pay gap data helps to reinforce our focus on supporting an open and inclusive workplace at Monaghan County Council. Our organisation is a place where all employees have the same opportunities for recognition and career development and are treated fairly and equitably at work. We continue to be committed to addressing workplace barriers to equality and creating an open and inclusive workplace community. Many equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives and supports are already in place, and we will continue to work in this area.

See the Council’s Gender Pay Gap report here: https://bit.ly/3Vd0qCG 

The local authority sector gives people the opportunity to play a key role in the positive development of their county and community. As an employer, Monaghan County Council is committed to providing a positive and supportive environment for employees. The Council offer flexible and family friendly arrangements, blended working, and great career progression and education opportunities.

Visit our website www.monaghan.ie and www.localgovernmentjobs.ie to find out more about the work we do.

See below for Monaghan County Council Christmas and New Year Opening Hours: 

Please ring the 24-Hour Emergency Line: 1800 121 121 in the event of an emergency over the holiday period.

Monaghan County Council are seeking expressions of interest from Landlords with 5/6 bedrooms properties for let for inclusion in the Rental Accommodation Schemes in the following town:

Carrickmacross

Houses to be considered must be close to services in towns, 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 Large Private Rented Accommodation – RAS/Social Housing Section, Housing Department, Monaghan County Council, The Glen, Monaghan or e-mail housing@monaghancoco.ie

John Murray

Head of Finance, Housing & Culture

Irish Coast Guard, RNLI and Water Safety Ireland issue cold weather warnings for water activities

With the current icy weather warnings in place throughout the country, the Coast Guard, RNLI and Water Safety Ireland have issued a joint water safety appeal urging people to be aware of the added danger at our aquatic environments and of additional safety considerations when on or near the water.

Due to the freezing temperatures, many inland bodies of water have frozen over at canals, lakes, ponds and flooded areas. As the thickness of this ice can vary greatly the strong advice is to stay off the ice. Be extra vigilant while walking beside bodies of water as walkways and paths can become extremely slippery and unsafe when icy. Keep pets and young children away from the edges.

Many people are expected to take part in festive dips. The three maritime organisations are asking people to check that they have the right information to safely enjoy these activities and that they know what to do in the event of an emergency. Cold water swims are very popular in the run up to Christmas and New Year. However, the current cold snap means that there are added risks to consider when taking part in these types of activities. This is particularly so inland. Avoid lakes that are covered or partially covered in ice.

• In an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard
• Have a means of calling for help, e.g., a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch and a whistle
• Check weather and tides. Be particularly mindful of strong wind conditions.
• When you go open water swimming, it is very important to acclimatise by entering the water slowly and allowing time for your body to get used to the cold.
• To help yourself acclimatise, splash the cold water on your neck and face.
• Warm up afterwards by putting on dry clothes quickly and wear a warm hat as soon as you get out.
• Entry and exit points may be difficult in the sub-zero conditions so walk slowly to avoid slipping.
• Avoid swimming in areas where there is ice.

Water Safety Ireland’s Deputy CEO, Roger Sweeney added ‘Children are naturally curious about walking on ice but parents should emphasize that it is not safe as the thickness can vary. This is why it so important that adults provide uninterrupted, responsible supervision beside any waterway.”

RNLI Water Safety Delivery Support Lisa Hollingum added: ‘Cold water shock is a very real possibility while winter swimming and dipping. Acclimatise before getting in, don’t stay in long and warm up as soon as you get out of the water. Look out for one another.’

Irish Coast Guard Head of Operations Gerard O’Flynn said, “Many people  are looking forward  to engaging in outdoor activities, including open water swimming or quick dips over the over the festive period, but please attend to your personal safety by carefully planning your intended activity.”