Donies Ireland news Blog

Irish retail pharmacists call for a cut in Ireland's commercial rates to boost retail sector

  

Irish Retailers are struggling and Irish pharmacists have warned that the sector will continue to dwindle if commercial rates are not cut by local authorities.

The current rates charged are threatening the viability of pharmacies and other businesses, according to the Irish Pharmacy Union.

The IPU has said that “in light of the additional income generated by the household charge and the planned property tax”, a major review of rates should begin.

Ray Hogan, chairman of the IPU’s business steering group believes the rates are unfair because they are not based on an ability to pay.

In the last 10 years these rates have increased by a massive 47%, well in excess of inflation. Pharmacies have seen a substantial drop in incomes but this has not been reflected in a corresponding reduction in rates. It is about time that a fair system was introduced that allowed local authorities to be adequately funded and at the same time reduce the pressures on already struggling businesses.

In another bid to help the ailing retailing sector, voucher company One4All has launched a Retail Week, beginning today and running until next Sunday, 17 June.

Brendan Smith TD calls for a grant scheme to aid rainwater harvesting

     

TD Brendan Smith Cavan/Monaghan has called on the Environment Minister Phil Hogan to commit to introducing grants for domestic rainwater harvesting ahead of the introduction of water charges.

Deputy Smith said a scheme, similar to the retrofit grants introduced by the previous government, must be provided to support households in investing in water conservation systems. He commented: “Ireland has a plentiful supply of rainwater and we are not doing enough to exploit this. At the moment people are using expensive drinking water to wash their cars, water their plants and flush their toilets. By harvesting rainwater instead, they would be conserving drinking water and radically reduce their household water bills into the future.”

He continued: “With Minister Hogan making plans to slap water charges on every household in the country from 2014, he must look at innovative ways of using our natural resources to help minimise the cost on households.” Mr Smith said that this must include a grant scheme to help households, schools and businesses in the area and across the country to install rainwater harvesting systems. He concluded: “It would allow people to use rain water for much their daily needs, thereby radically reducing future water bills and helping to conserve expensive treated tap water nationally.”

Donegal fisherman films shoal of

‘killer whales’ off the Donegal Irish coast

     

The creatures were filmed by Kevin Doherty during a fishing trip on Lough Swilly

An Irish fisherman has filmed what is believed to be a pod of killer whales off the coast of County Donegal.

Kevin Doherty was on a fishing trip with a friend in Lough Swilly on Wednesday when they made the unusual sighting.

He said their boat was “surrounded” by six of the creatures.

Marine expert Emmet Johnston said he believed they were killer whales which had probably come from the Hebrides off Scotland in search of food.

‘Fear factor’

Mr Doherty, who works as a bar manager in Bridgend in County Donegal, described the experience as “exhilarating”.

He said: “It was so obvious by the sheer size of the orca and the dorsal fin that it was a whale.

“There was no doubt – this was no dolphin or basking shark – straight away we knew it was a whale.”

However, he said there was also “a fear factor” and added that they had tried to keep their distance while filming.

“It was frightening at times, especially when you couldn’t see them, when they were underwater maybe five minutes.

“You didn’t know where they were and you just sort of hung onto the boat a bit harder at that stage,” he said.

Mr Johnston said the whales were an indicator of how healthy the environment is off the coast of Donegal.

“You wouldn’t get those apex predators, or top of the food chain – they are the like equivalent of a tiger on land coming into these waters – if it wasn’t a healthy environment and we didn’t have healthy fish stocks as well,” he said.