- Cabinet ministers stay, hints Kenny
- Kenny defends human rights stance
- Race row ex-mayor loses party whip
- PayPal to hire 1,000 more staff
- Family anger at gun suspect hearing
- U-turn made over cuts to schools
- Bank donates artworks to taxpayers
- Fury at child hospital overcrowding
- 3bn euro in state assets to be sold
- Families 'numb' over farm deaths
- Plea to ban smoking in playgrounds
- Road rage killer offers apology
- Bosses 'should pay for sick leave'
Local Businesses
Tullamore A|wear jobs secure
A|wear will continue to trade as normal in its store in Tullamore following its acquisition by a group of international investors, headed by British businessman Michael Flacks of Flacks Group.
Jobs initiative surpasses pledges
Launched just over one month ago, Hireland yesterday confirmed that the initiative has already received over 2,500 job pledges from businesses all over the country. This is all the more impressive as Hireland had set a 6 month target of 5,000 pledges and is now at the halfway point after little more than a month.
Rate exemption for new Tullamore businesses sought
CALLS have been made for a six month rate exemption for new businesses starting up in Tullamore.
Absence of movement on farm consolidation criticised
The Chairman of the ICMSA Taxation Committee, Mr. Lorcan McCabe, has stated that although Finance Bill 2012 provided for a number of welcome incentives announced in Budget 2012, he believed it was a missed opportunity in terms of addressing some anomalies in the taxation system that weren’t addressed in Budget 2012.
Carbon Tax proposals ‘insufficient and unworkable’
Proposals in the Finance Bill to offset the increased costs of the Carbon Tax have been described as insufficient and unworkable.
IFA elect new Farm Business Committee Chairman
Tom Doyle has been elected Chairman of the IFA National Farm Business Committee. He succeeds James Kane, who has completed his four-year term.
Targeting German tourists for Offaly
Local tourism operator Silverline Cruisers in Banagher hit the road with Tourism Ireland in Germany last week, for a three-city travel mission, aiming to increase Offaly’s and Ireland’s share of the valuable German holiday and cruising business this year.
Lego MD to address conference in Tullamore
THE Managing Director of LEGO Education Europe is to address the Atlantic Conference in Tullamore on March 29. LEGO is an iconic toy of which we all have fond memories from our childhood. The colourful bricks which have provided generations of fun to children all over the world are also a key tool in education and particularly science education today.
The agony and ecstasy of securing a good pension
From March 1. nearly 8000 public and civil servants who are taking the enhanced early retirement package, will be able to start enjoying their retirement with an income that will be worth 50% of their final salary, proportionate with their years of service.
Clonmacnoise wins prestigious CIE Visit Merit Award
Clonmacnoise won a Visit Merit Award at the prestigious CIE Tours International Awards of Excellence earlier this week. Receiving a ‘merit’ award means the West Offaly tourist attraction scored over 90% on client feedback.
‘Positive outlook’ for Offaly farmers
AIB gave a positive outlook for the Agri-Food sector at a customer seminar for farming customers in the Tullamore Court Hotel.
New campaign aimed at dog owners
‘Do you know where your dog is?’ This is the direct question IFA National Sheep Chairman James Murphy has raised as part of a new public awareness campaign aimed at highlighting the responsibility of dog owners and the vulnerability of sheep flocks to dog attacks at this time of year.
Bridge House strikes gold at IASAI
TULLAMORE’S Bridge House Hotel has added yet another accolade to their trophy case with a Gold Award in the 4-star hotel category at the IASI (Irish Accommodation Services Institute) Awards, which took place in Sligo on Saturday, January 28.
Five Offaly hotels in national guide
HOTELS and guesthouses throughout the country joined together to launch the 2012 Irelandhotels.com Guide as part of the Irish Hotels Federation’s (IHF) international marketing drive for 2012.
High speed broadband for every Offaly school
OFFALY is one of fourteen counties where every second level school will have high speed broadband installed this year as part of a national initiative to have broadband in every second level school by 2014.
Big pension decisions loom for newly retired
With over 7000 civil and public servants opting to take up the latest enhanced early retirement offer from the government, a great many of them will be wondering what their options are regarding the ‘extras’ associated with their impending retirement, specifically, what to do with their tax free lump sum payments and their AVC accounts –Additional Voluntary Contributions that they may have been contributing to make up for lost service years.
Forestry schemes continue into 2012
Forestry continues to be supported and recognised as an industry that provides an alternative income to farmers for the planting and management of their forests.
Gurteen College take the Challenges Day title
It was a case of two titles in three years for Gurteen college who were crowned Annual Colleges Challenge Day Champions on last Thursday.
Escalating costs threatening growth
IFA President John Bryan has claimed that rapidly escalating fuel and energy costs threaten sustained agricultural growth, job creation and Ireland’s prospects for recovery given the over reliance on imported energy, export dependence and distance from market.
Teagasc event to focus on profitable cereals production
Teagasc Westmeath/Offaly are holding a Spring Tillage Crops Seminar which will be held in the Tullamore Court Hotel on Wednesday 8th February, 2012, commencing at 8pm.
INSOLVENCY BILL IS WELCOME BUT TIME IS NOT ON EVERYONE’S SIDE
The publication of the proposals last week of the draft Personal Insolvency Bill is the beginning of the introduction of what will hopefully become a properly functioning, fair and compassionate bankruptcy system.
Septic tanks public meetings in Daingean and Birr
BRIAN Stanley TD has organised two public meetings in Offaly on the proposed Septic Tanks legislation to allow the public participate in the debate and have their say.
1 commentRTE interested in talking to farmer victims of metal theft
National broadcaster RTE have expressed interest in putting together an accurate picture of the extent of metal theft from farms, a type of crime recent labelled as ‘epidemic’ by ICMSA.
Social Entrepreneurs awards launched
Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has launched their 2012 Awards Programme, sponsored by DCC plc, with a call for applications from individuals in Offaly and nationwide who are developing new, big ideas to address the social and environmental challenges we face in Ireland. Over 200 applications were received last year, with Offaly well represented among the applicants.
Contracts signed for Tullamore Community Arts Centre
Tullamore Community Arts Centre has moved on to the next stage with the signing of the design contracts between the Board of the Arts Centre and A2 Architects, which took place last Thursday January 26.
Happy couples flock to the Bridge House Wedding Fair
The Bridge House Hotel was thronged with eager couples recently when the award-winning hotel held its Wedding Fair which showcased their fantastic new wedding packages. As an added incentive on the day, anyone who booked their wedding at the Bridge House Hotel was entered in a draw for a chance to win a dream Mediterranean Cruise honeymoon!
Submission made ahead of Finance Bill
IFA has put forward a number of practical proposals to the Minister for Finance to offset the imposition of the additional carbon tax on farm diesel, as the Budget measures are totally inadequate to deal effectively with the problem.
Savings remain secure and safe
The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) would like to clarify a number of points about the general wellbeing of credit unions across the country.
Co-ops can afford to hold milk price
IFA National Dairy Committee Chairman Kevin Kiersey believes that although weakness had crept into EU and international dairy markets in recent months, co-ops had improved their margins significantly in 2010 and 2011, and most could afford to hold milk prices at least through the Spring.
Successful outcome to CAP talks crucial to recovery
Addressing the 57th Annual General Meeting of the Irish Farmers Association in the RDS in Dublin, IFA President John Bryan said a successful outcome to the negotiations for the CAP post-2013 was vital to achieve the planned growth in the Irish agriculture and food sector, which is crucial to our economic recovery.
Minister outlines Ireland’s CAP reform priorities
Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, welcomed European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dacian Ciolos, to Dublin last week, and impressed upon the Commissioner the key CAP reform priorities for Ireland following the publication last October by the Commissioner of his legislative proposals for the period 2014 to 2020. Speaking after a meeting with the Commissioner, the Minister said:
Home defence legislation vital in tackling rural crime
IFA Deputy President & Countryside Spokesman Eddie Downey has said rural dwellers will welcome the introduction of the Defence and the Dwelling Act by Justice Minister Alan Shatter, which allows homeowners to defend themselves from burglars.
Laois/Offaly Friesian breeders plan for future
LAOIS/OFFALY Friesian Breeders held their annual general meeting in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore recently.
Tough competition at Offaly Ploughing Championships
THERE was the usual high level of competition at the Offaly Ploughing Championships last weekend with competitors from around Offaly and further afield taking part.
EIIS focus of business seminar
OVER fifty business people gathered in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone last Thursday evening to attend the first chamber event of 2012, “How to Score in 2012 – New Funding Opportunities for your Business.”
Record food and drink exports welcomed
The record exports of €8.9 billion achieved by Irish food and drink companies in 2011 have been welcomed by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD He commented, “This is a tremendous achievement. Irish food and drink companies have worked extremely hard to build on existing markets and identify new market opportunities for value added food and drink products in a very competitive global economy.”
Offaly farm leader ‘optimistic’ on beef prices
In welcoming the optimistic outlook for beef in 2012, Michael Guinan, the new Chairperson of ICMSA’s Beef and Cattle Committee, said that the consensus of all experts is that farmers can expect strong prices for all categories of livestock in 2012.
![Pictured at the recent F�ilte Ireland Regional Industry Briefing which was held at the Sheraton Hotel Athlone, were (l. to r.): Michael Brady, F�ilte Ireland Lakelands; Ruth McNally, Tullamore Town Council; Brendan OLoughlin, Offaly Local Development Company and Declan Kirrane, Offaly Co. Council. [Photo: Derek Cullen, F�ilte Ireland]](/webimage/1.3431097.1326891515!image/3640727893.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_109/3640727893.jpg)
Fáilte Ireland committed to Inland Waterways tourism
Despite recent upbeat reports regarding an increase in overseas visitors to Ireland in 2011, Fáilte Ireland warned against any complacency in the tourism sector this year, during its annual tourism industry briefing for the Lakelands & Inland Waterways region which was held in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone last week.
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Weather for Tullamore
Thursday 23 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: West
