Conference on a Referendum on Housing in Ireland
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Conference on a Referendum on Housing in Ireland
The Housing Commission is hosting a two-day conference this week, titled Conference on a Referendum on Housing in Ireland. It takes place at the UCD School of Law on 10 and 11 May, 2022. The gathering features a range of Irish and international experts who are sharing their views on housing experiences both nationally and internationally. The commission has undertaken to examine issues that have long-term impacts on communities. These…
Inflation Co-operation Framework
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Key provisions for the Inflation Co-operation Framework
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD, yesterday announced details of further measures to address the impact that exceptional inflation in construction materials and energy is having on public works contracts. In the interest of safeguarding public projects that are already under construction and to mitigate the risks of significant losses being sustained by contractors, he is introducing an Inflation Co-operation Framework for those parties engaged under…
farmer health
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Seminar to address farmer wellbeing
A Teagasc seminar on farmer wellbeing and mental health will be held on 16 May, 2022. The main speaker is Dr David Christian Rose, Reading University, a leading UK expert on the subject. In addition, Dr David Meredith, Teagasc Rural Economy Development Programme, will chair an open discussion to look at ways to improve the sustainability of farmers.   “Farmers face a unique set of acute and chronic stressors including…
LSL Select Price Report – Sheep Mart 05/12/2022
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LSL Select Price Report – Cattle Mart 10/05/2022
Tuesday’s selected Cattle Mart Price Report: Copyright LSL Auctions. M BULLOCK 300-400KG Avg Price/KgAAX 2.44/kgCHX 2.76/kgCHX,LMX 2.76/kgFR 2.08/kgHEX 2.52/kgLMX 2.71/kgHighest Price/Kg Lots:CHX,LMX, 370kg 2.86/kg 1060.00AAX, 315kg 2.79/kg 880.00LMX,AAX, 349kg 2.75/kg 960.00HEX, 311kg 2.70/kg 840.00CHX,LMX, 343kg 2.65/kg 910.00AAX, 335kg 2.63/kg 880.00 M BULLOCK 400-500KG Avg Price/KgAAX 2.75/kgHEX 2.40/kgLMX 2.70/kgHighest Price/Kg Lots:AAX, 483kg 3.06/kg 1480.00LMX, 410kg 2.90/kg 1190.00AAX, 495kg 2.87/kg 1420.00LMX, 435kg 2.78/kg 1210.00CHX, 420kg 2.76/kg 1160.00LMX, 455kg 2.70/kg 1230.00 M BULLOCK…
LSL Select Price Report – Sheep Mart – 21/02/2023
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LSL Select Price Report – Sheep Mart 10/05/2022
Tuesday’s selected Sheep Mart Price Report: Copyright LSL Auctions. LB 20-30KG Avg Price/Kg2.64/kgHighest Price/Kg Lots:, 29kg 3.31/kg 95.00, 25kg 1.97/kg 50.00 LB 30-40KG Avg Price/Kg3.16/kgHighest Price/Kg Lots:, 37kg 3.98/kg 148.00, 38kg 3.89/kg 149.00, 31kg 3.69/kg 115.00, 40kg 3.41/kg 135.00, 31kg 3.35/kg 104.00, 38kg 3.32/kg 128.00 LB 40-50KG Avg Price/Kg3.57/kgHighest Price/Kg Lots:, 41kg 3.96/kg 163.00, 40kg 3.9/kg 156.00, 40kg 3.88/kg 155.00, 42kg 3.86/kg 163.00, 44kg 3.84/kg 169.00, 42kg 3.83/kg 160.00 LB…
women working on farms
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Possible benefits for women working on farms
Tánaiste party leader Leo Varadkar is willing to examine the possibility of paid maternity and pension benefits for women working on farms. However, speaking at a Fine Gael conference on Agriculture and Rural Development in Tullamore, Co Offaly, he said it might be tricky due to issues around Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI). Responding to a question on the matter from MEP Maria Walsh and the Women in Agriculture Stakeholder…
organic farming
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Learn more about organic farming on hosted walks
Organic farm walks organised by Teagasc and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are gaining traction among those interested in converting to organic farming. Attendees can also learn about direct sales opportunities. The walks form part of an ongoing series that promotes successful organic operators across a variety of enterprises. These include beef, cereal, horticulture, sheep, and poultry sectors. Attendance at all three of the 12…
Balmoral Show 2022
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Machinery exhibits and much more at Balmoral Show
The 153rd Balmoral Show will take place in partnership with Ulster Bank from 11 to 14, May 2022, at Balmoral Park, Lisburn. Visitors can expect the usual showcase of machinery exhibits, local food, shopping outlets and family entertainment, along with some new additions. Agricultural and livestock displays will take centre stage across the four-day show with cattle parades, show jumping events and the Sheep Shearing 6 Nations tournament all included…
Quinn Property Main Street Carnew Co Wicklow
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Quinn Property – Main Street, Carnew, Co Wicklow – 10/05
Quinn Property brings to auction a commercial property at Main Street, Carnew, Co Wicklow on 10 May, 2022, at 12 noon via LSL Auctions. A valuable C. 0.9 acre residential development site.  Location:The site enjoys an excellent location within the town centre of Carnew, convenient to an array of amenities such as primary & secondary schools, shops, restaurants, churches, bars and sporting facilities with Coolattin Golf Club just 3km away.…
Agri-food unfair trading practices
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Agri-food watchdog to hone in on unfair trading practices
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue will soon start recruiting for a CEO to head up the new food ombudsman office, which will have powers to investigate unfair trading practices. The Office for Fairness and Transparency in the Agri-Food Supply Chain will report on prices in the supply chain and follow-up on any wrongdoings. Legislation will be needed to create the watchdog, possibly new laws will be passed by the Oireachtas. The…
Rural Ireland
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Fine Gael’s vision for rural Ireland and the agricultural sector
Fine Gael has a bold ambition for rural Ireland – this includes transforming vacant buildings in our rural communities and putting farmers at the forefront of clean, green energy production, Speaking at the recent Fine Gael Special Conference on Agriculture and Rural Development, Minister Martin Heydon identified micro-generation as an area with huge untapped potential for the rural economy. Heather Humphreys, Minister for Rural and Community Development, also committed to…
solar energy
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Microgenerators to sell excess solar energy
From July 2022, more than 21,000 electricity customers will be able to sell excess solar energy generated from their own panels back to the national grid. The Clean Export Guarantee tariff will mostly reflect as a discount on electricity bills. Why bother? Solar energy must be used when it is generated. Alternatively, it can be stored in batteries for later use that same day or night. However, storage units are often…
cost of living
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Sharp cost of living changes could be imminent
The cost of living in Ireland could increase if the European Central Bank (ECB) takes steps to eliminate high inflation. In that instance, headline EU interest rates could rise to 6% and Irish mortgage rates to 8% minimum. Headline inflation encompasses food and energy. That’s if the bank applies the same approach as the former US Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volker did in the late 70s. His decision to wreck…
Wool prices Ireland
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Wool prices not yet set for new season quality product
Wool prices this year are likely to be no different from the last two years. This does not bode well for farmers who have had to accept 5c/kg to 20c/kg for their wool clip since 2020. What’s more, shearing costs could rise. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Not really. There is a lot of wool available, despite the trade picking up before Christmas 2021. Elsewhere, sales…
spring lambs
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Spring lambs gain favour as hogget numbers decline
Prices are improving as demand increases for spring lambs. This is influenced by fewer hoggets available now, and grass growth kicking on. Demand for the lambs has been slow since March, but this could soon change under the current circumstances. Until now, factory agents have been focused on hoggets but demand for them over Easter and Ramadan has diminished supply. To date, fewer lambs have appeared at marts, and prices…
Cellular agriculture ProVeg International Humboldt Symposium
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Focus on cellular agriculture at Humboldt Symposium
Speakers from all over Europe will share their ideas at the 21st Humboldt Symposium at Humboldt University in Berlin on 11 May, 2022. Food awareness organisation ProVeg International will discuss the potential of cultured meat to create a sustainable food system. The upcoming “Future of Food” symposium will examine some of the major challenges affecting the food supply chain, including food waste, food insecurity and the effectiveness of fair trade…
Irish fertiliser sales
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Challenges for the Irish fertiliser sector ahead
Irish fertiliser sales are down 13.46% over a six-month period from October 2021 to March 2022, as compared to the same period in the previous year. This has been deduced from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM) latest statistics. Managing Director of Grassland Agro, Liam Woulfe, estimates that in February alone, total fertiliser sales were back 50% on 2021, while the combination of sales for March and…
National Parks
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No change to the size of national parks in the near future
Ireland’s national parks currently stretch across an expanse of 65,000ha of land. Minister of State for Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, has shared that the Department of Heritage has no plans to extend them.  Expanding these areas would see private farmland included in the country’s six national parks – Killarney National Park, Connemara National Park, Glenveagh National Park, Wicklow Mountains National Park, Burren National Park and Wild Nephin National Park. In response…
Fine Gael farming
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Farming our “most important indigenous industry”
Opening this weekend’s Fine Gael conference, Minister of State for Agriculture Martin Heydon described farming as “our most important indigenous industry since the foundation of the state. If we are to enhance food security, we must produce food in parts of the world where it is most suitable. But we must also do so within planetary boundaries.” Various topics were discussed. Dawn Meats commercial director, Richard Clinton, highlighted the fact…
Tillage update
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Tillage update on winter barley and wheat, and spring barley
Teagasc Crops Specialist Shay Phelan has compiled the latest update on tillage crops of winter barley and winter wheat, as well as spring barley. He advises on the application of the final fungicide to winter barley, and the final nitrogen split on winter wheat. He also looks at fertiliser, weed and disease control in spring barley. Winter Barley Most crops have awns emerged or will be emerged in the coming…
Homes to rent
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Volume of homes to rent drops as landlords exit the market
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has honed in on the issue of the shrunken market for homes to rent. In recent months the lack of available rental stock around the country has become evident. Speaking in the Dáil this week, the minister said that tax measures may need to be examined to keep “mom-and-pop landlords” from exiting the market. Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin also raised concerns about the rising number…
Glanbia Co-op milk
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Glanbia advises on peak milk allocations
The Glanbia Co-op board has announced that no penalties will be applied to milk suppliers that exceed their peak milk allocations in May or June this year. This comes after the most recent review of milk supply forecasts for 2022. There will also be no penalty deductions for the small pool of suppliers that exceeded their individual peak allocation for April. John Murphy, Glanbia Co-op Chairman, commented that, “We believe…
livestock handling
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Top tips for low-stress livestock handling
Renowned animal behaviorist Dr Temple Grandin, the author and expert on modern methods of livestock handling, has long advised the industry on low-stress handling of cattle. This has improved animal welfare and productivity and applies to all herding animals. The basics come down to understanding what a cow’s flight zone is, as well as the point of balance. If you are in a field and move towards the cow, you’ll know…
food security
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More diverse and resilient food systems will safeguard food security
The global food price crisis continues to threaten food security. The FAO Food Price Index is expected to highlight this as food prices reached record highs for April 2022.   The recently released IPES-Food report highlights the growing food security crisis. Weighty reliance on food imports and extreme commodity speculation are among the drivers of the crisis. These have gone unresolved since 2007 – 2008. Main drivers: Dietary diversity has been…
Be safe during silage making
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Be safety conscious during silage making
Because May is the month for silage making, safety is paramount. Be safe around moving machinery, whether it’s in the farmyards or on the public roads. This is a high-risk exercise so it’s essential to avoid any kind of accident whatsoever – knock-down, roll-over, and crushing accidents can happen. Beware of blind spots that could cause collisions. Speed kills too so keep the machinery moving steadily. Everyone involved should discuss…
LSL Select Price Report – Sheep Mart – 21/02/2023
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LSL Select Price Report – Sheep Mart 06/05/2022
Friday’s selected Sheep Mart Price Report: Copyright LSL Auctions. LB 30-40KG Avg Price/Kg2.61/kgHighest Price/Kg Lots:, 39kg 3.79/kg 148.00, 37kg 3.08/kg 114.00, 36kg 2.67/kg 96.00, 38kg 2.56/kg 96.00, 33kg 2.15/kg 71.00, 34kg 1.38/kg 47.00 LB 40-50KG Avg Price/Kg3.31/kgHighest Price/Kg Lots:, 40kg 3.85/kg 154.00, 43kg 3.84/kg 165.00, 41kg 3.82/kg 158.00, 45kg 3.82/kg 172.00, 43kg 3.81/kg 164.00, 43kg 3.77/kg 162.00 LB 50-60KG Avg Price/Kg2.52/kgHighest Price/Kg Lots:, 54kg 3.26/kg 176.00, 55kg 3.09/kg 170.00, 54kg…