Latest news with #DónalMcCormack
Irish Independent
11-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Free battery recycling boxes launched to grow Wicklow's green credentials
With Wicklow County Council recently reporting that, in 2024, Garden County residents recycled an average of 7.5kg of e-waste per person versus a national average of 9.5kg, the small battery boxes will offer a simple way for residents to collect used batteries, while making it easier to safely dispose of them through WEEE Ireland electrical recycling. To collect your battery recycling box, simply call into Blessington Tourist Office. Once your battery recycling box is full, you can drop your used batteries to a free WEEE Ireland Electrical Recycling Day at McGreals Primary Care Centre in Blessington on Saturday, August 23, from 10 am to 4 pm. Alternatively, drop your used batteries into the large battery recycling boxes which are located in many major retailers (e.g. Aldi or SuperValu in Blessington). Highlighting how every electrical item that is recycled means a new life for the materials contained within that device or battery, Blessington Allotments Campaign chair Dónal McCormack said that the initiative and their campaign continues to work on and support community projects which have a positive impact on the local environment. 'We are delighted to link this project with our free WEEE Ireland Electrical Recycling Day and to help build and expand on the success of last year's event,' he added. 'A huge thanks to the Blessington Tourist Office and WEEE Ireland for collaborating with us and supporting this project by making these boxes available for the local community!' Expressing delight at being part of another project that helps promote sustainability in west Wicklow, Blessington Tourist Office manager Martin Cahill said: 'The free battery recycling boxes are a positive solution to battery waste and continue our focus and work on projects which help make it easier for members of our community to make more sustainable and environmentally friendly choices, 'Previous sustainability projects that we have hosted include our popular Halloween costume and Christmas jumper swap shops, which we look forward to running again in the coming months. It's up to all of us to play our part in creating a better, more sustainable place to live!'
Irish Examiner
12-06-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Donal Hickey: More allotments wanted — there's a 2-3 year waiting list in Cork
More and more people are discovering the unique satisfaction of putting their very own home-grown produce on the table, with some digging their early potatoes by now. However, local authorities in many areas don't seem interested in providing allotments to people wishing to grow fruit and vegetables for themselves. Community Gardens Ireland has written to Local Government Minister James Browne calling for a new survey of authorities to find out their position on the provision of allotments and community gardens. Only 16 of 31 local authorities responded to a survey, carried out last year, with no local authority in Dublin completing it. The intention was that the survey would form part of a broader campaign to encourage consumption of fresh local produce — in line with a commitment in the previous Programme for Government on cooperation between the authorities and local communities. The current Programme for Government has no mention of community gardens, allotments or urban orchards, despite a campaign by Community Gardens Ireland. Co-chairperson of Community Gardens Ireland, Dónal McCormack, said it is hugely disappointing that almost half of local authorities failed to complete a short survey. Community Gardens Ireland — map of allotments across the country A 2018 survey showed that eight local authorities did not provide any allotments, or community gardens, and that there were 2,500 allotments and community gardens in Ireland. This is one of the lowest levels in Europe. Denmark, with a similar population to ours, has 40,000 community growing spaces. Cork City Council has allotments in Churchfield (53 spaces) and Ballincollig (84 spaces), but all available spaces are taken up and there's a two to three-year waiting period. It's a similar situation in Rathcormac, County Cork, where the local community council is inviting people to join a waiting list, adding: 'Write to your TD and explain why more allotments should be made available." Today community gardens were added to Irish law for the first time. This important step follows years of discussions & presentations. More work is needed but huge thanks to @noonan_malcolm @MarcKC_Green @stevensgreen1 & all TDs/Senators for the — Community Gardens Ireland (@CommunityGrdns) October 17, 2024 Identifying land for allotments is a reserved function of elected members of local authorities, so people interested should also lobby their local councillors. Historically, there has been a surge in demand during wartime when food is scarce. Now, increasing numbers of people like to have a bit of ground to grow their own food, and a large amount of space is not needed. Beginners often start with, say, lettuce, onions and potatoes. I've seen lettuce shoot up in window boxes; and beetroot in the middle of flowerbeds. Some people engage in gardening for environmental reasons; others for healthy physical activity and enjoyment, while the ever-rising cost of food is another factor. Allotment use in Britain is far more prevalent than here. Waiting lists across the Irish Sea for allotments have doubled in the last 12 years, with an average three-year wait.
