The Environment Section has responsibility for over 500 statutory functions, which are contained within over 100 pieces of legislation. The key areas dealt with include:

• Waste Management
• Water Quality & Pollution Control
• Education & Awareness
• Veterinary Services
• Burial Grounds
• Parks

 

Waste Management

Dunmore Landfill

The Council continues to operate the County's only landfill at Dunmore. Disposal of waste is now taking place in the final two Cells, 13 and 14. Rehabilitation works are continuing on Cells 8 to 12. It is expected that the landfill will close in 2009. The Recycling Centre will continue to operate after that time and the Council will continue to manage the closed landfill as required under the Waste Licence.

 

Recycling

The Section operates forty bring centres in the county. Eight Chemcar locations were provided for a mobile hazardous waste recycling service and also five locations for recycling WEEE. Both collection facilities were provided free of charge to the customer. The Council participated in the farm plastics take back scheme with a choice of five collection locations offered. Piltown won the award for best bring bank in the South East Region in the 2007 Tidy Towns competition.

 

Enforcement

Over 1300 non-routine inspections were carried out by environmental enforcement officers in 2007. Over 500 routine inspections were carried out on waste permitted facilities, bring centres, garages, commercial premises WEEE outlets etc. Non routine inspections were broken down as follows:

In 2007 there were 209 Litter Fines issued under the Litter Pollution Acts 1997-2003. In addition, there were 2 prosecutions successful in court under this legislation.

Under the Waste Management Acts 1996-2007, there were 123 notices issued of which 2 proceeded to court action with success in both cases.

2007 saw the introduction of a mobile CCTV monitoring system. The system has yielded some good evidence and results with the anticipation of even higher success rates in 2008. Particular focus is put on locating the CCTV system at Recycling Centres and litter black spots in the county.

 

Litter Management

A revised Litter Management Plan was prepared in 2007. It covers the years 2007 - 2010. The draft Plan was put on public display in August and September of 2007. All submissions were considered in preparing the final version which is due to be adopted in early 2008.

 

Joint Waste Management Plan (JWMP) - Procurement of Central Treatment Facility

A Project Board and Project Steering Group have been established and Client's Representatives appointed. The Project reached the pre-qualification stage in mid 2007, but the publication of the PIN notice has been postponed pending the issue of a Section 60 direction from the Minister, which is still awaited. Project Liaison Officers have been nominated in each of the 6 authorities in the Region.

 

 

Water Quality & Pollution Control

River Basin Management

A booklet "Water Matters" was published in June 2007. This describes the significant water management issues (SWMI) that will face the region in developing a Plan. A series of public meeting was held in November to discuss the issues and in particular to determine if any significant issues had been over-looked.

 

Enforcement

The Council monitors 23 discharge licences to waters and 53 discharge licences to sewers. There were over 90 inspections of discharge licensed premises in 2007.

 

Farm Surveys

It is estimated that there are about 3,000 farms in Kilkenny. Each year the Council reviews the most recent water quality report and selects priority catchments for investigation. Work carried out in 2007 included:

• River Glory - River bank walked and 91 farms surveyed
• Barraghcore Stream - River bank walked and 40 farms surveyed
• Poulanassy River - River bank walked
• Gowran River - River bank part walked and 9 farms surveyed
• Munster River - River bank walked and 10 farms surveyed

 

 

Education and Awareness

In 2007, the Environment Section co-ordinated activities county-wide for National Recycling Week, National Spring Clean, Energy Awareness Week and Car Free Day.

The Environment Section administered a number of grant schemes including; Anti- Litter Awareness Grants, Environmental Partnership Fund Grants and the 'Adopt a Bottle Bank' Scheme.

 

Farm Environmental Awards

The 2007 winner of Kilkenny County Council's Farm Environmental Award was Mr. James Phelan of Corstown, Kilmanagh.

The competition is judged under the following four headings:

• General Farm tidiness
• Waste management on the Farm
• Water management on the Farm
• Other on farm Environmental Projects

 

Farm plastics May 2007

Kilkenny County Council participated in the DoEHLG scheme for free take-back of stock piled farm plastics. Over 1,000 farmers recycled over 1,280 tonnes of farm plastics (farm silage sheeting and bale wrap) in May 2007.

The sites included:

• Kilkenny Mart
• Iverk Showgrounds, Piltown (kindly sponsored by the Iverk showground's committee)
• Barronsland Council Depot
• Skehana Council Depot, Castlecomer
• Tube Rollers, Callan (Kindly sponsored by Duggan Steel)

Cllr. Tom Brennan, Olga Doyle (Environmental Awareness Officer) and Michael Parson
of Outrath at Kilkenny Mart in May 2007

 

Green Schools Programme

The Green Flag is the most prestigious award that a school can achieve and is given to schools that take action to eliminate litter and reduce waste. Once the award has been achieved the schools then move on to address other issues such as energy and transport.

The county now has a total number of 20 Schools with a Green Flag. This represents an 18% growth on 2006 figures.

A full list of schools that have achieved Green Schools status is available on the Council's website. www.kilkennycoco.ie

The Environment Section sponsored the 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' puppet show in 2007. The show visited over 16 schools in the county teaching the pupils about the importance of waste minimisation and recycling. This show will continue to run in 2008.

Several other educational tools were used when visiting schools including reusable shopping bags, pencil cases made from recycled tyres, pens and pencils made from recycled plastic and yoyo's made from recycled timber.

Hugginstown National School receiving their first Green Flag in May 2007

 

Green Tips

This is a joint initiative between KCLR and Kilkenny County Council which sees easy examples of how people can improve their environment aired on the local radio station every day.

 

 

Veterinary Services

A full time Veterinary Officer fulfils the service contract between FSAI and Kilkenny County Council. Duties include the supervision of slaughter houses and small meat manufacturing plants, inspection of liquid milk producers and investigation of incidents of sheep scab. The Veterinary Service liaises with the Dog Warden Service and other agencies such as DAF and HSE on relevant issues such as Zoonoses, animal diseases and animal by-products.

 

 

Burial Grounds

Kilkenny County Council has 14 open and active Burial Grounds across the County with each having a Caretaker in place to manage the record keeping.

The main features for 2007 were as follows:

• A new procedure manual for the operation of Burial Grounds was developed toward the end of 2006 and rolled out to the Caretakers in 2007. The effect was to standardise the roles and responsibilities of each individual Caretaker.
• New burial ground maps were developed in 2007 and will be distributed to the Caretakers early in 2008. The old maps will be handed over to the County Library.
• Further improvements to the service will take place in 2008.

 

 

Parks

Amenity Grants

In 2007 Kilkenny County Council continued with its popular Amenity Grant Scheme which assists voluntary bodies in the provision and maintenance of amenity facilities. Preference is given to projects which are community based and which are considered to offer most benefit to the local community. Grants were given for purchase of tools, lawnmowers, plants etc.

 

Playgrounds

Kilkenny County Council playground development continued with planning completed for three new playgrounds in Graiguenamanagh, Ballyhale and Newpark Close. Once completed these three will bring the total number of playgrounds developed and/or maintained by the Council to thirteen. All other playgrounds were maintained and inspected on a weekly basis and equipment repaired or replaced as necessary.

 

River Nore Linear Park

The construction of the River Nore Linear Park began in 2006 and Phase 1A has been completed. Phases 1B and 1C are currently under construction on the western bank of the River Nore at Bishopsmeadows. Phase 1B is a continuation of Phase 1A, Phase 1C includes the construction of a paved connection to the Linear Park from surrounding residential areas and provision of ESB ducting to facilitate the under-grounding of overhead cables. Phase two of the Linear Park began late in 2007 with works carried out along Canal Walk to Dukesmeadows, works on this section will be completed in early 2008. All works are part of an ongoing programme to develop a network of footpaths and cycle ways along the River Nore in Kilkenny City and Environs.

 

Nore Valley Walking Route

Work continued on this walking route in partnership with Leader/BNS and the many landowners along the route. The route will eventually run from Kilkenny to Inistioge.

 

Village / Urban Renewal

The 5 main projects for 2007 were

• Castlecomer - completion of amenity area at Church Avenue
• Ballyhale - construction of playground
• Rosbercon - tree planting
• Kells - provision of paved footpaths in village centre and entrance to Kells Priory
• Nore Linear walk - Phase Two of the Linear Walk as described above was funded under the Urban and Village Renewal Scheme.

 

Newpark Marsh

A Management Strategy for Newpark Marsh was procured in 2005 and implementation commenced in 2006. The monitoring programme to investigate the hydrogeology of the Marsh continued throughout 2007. A duck feeding area was also constructed at the entrance to the marsh where people have traditionally fed birds.

 

Development of Parks

A neighbourhood park at Garringreen commenced in 2005 and was completed in 2006. Kilkenny County Council will undertake ongoing maintenance and further developments in the park in 2007. A Multi Use Games Area which facilitates a variety of ball games was constructed in 2007 in Garringreen and is proving popular with local people.

 

Playing Pitches

The Parks Section has developed two playing pitches located at Garringreen and Millennium Court. These pitches are available for use by local soccer clubs. An additional pitch has been completed in 2006 at Bishop Birch Place and will be available for use in 2007. Essential pitch maintenance was carried out on all pitches by the parks section and goal post inspections take place every week for health and safety reasons.

 

Woodstock Gardens

Phase three of the restoration project was practically completed in 2007. Features recently reconstructed or restored include the Walled Garden, Flower Terraces, Turner Seat and Rockery. A circular cast iron conservatory to replicate the original which was designed by the famous iron master Richard Turner was erected in late 2007 and due to be completed in early 2008. Maintenance of the gardens is on going and visitor numbers area increasing annually, particularly in the area of coach tours.

 

National Tree Week

This was held in March 2007 and over 3,000 free trees were donated to local community groups and schools for planting to help enhance their areas.

Riverside Daisies.