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THERE IS A shellfish crisis in west Cork and Kerry, resulting in some of Ireland’s top quality mussels being unfit to eat.
Some bays have been forced to close down for five consecutive months, said the Irish Shellfish Association.
Many farmers have had to watch their crops wash away during the winter storms instead of fetching premiums in top supermarkets and restaurants.
Producers from Castlemaine to Dunmanus Bay have been impacted, largely as a result of highly unusual algal blooms this winter.
Mussel crop
The Irish Farmer’s Association’s (IFA) analysis shows that up to 10,000 tonnes of top quality mussel crop has been lost to the elements or is now unusable.
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Richie Flynn, IFA’s Aquaculture Executive said the crop should have been sold in November, December and even January.
Some bays have been closed continuously since mid-2014 due to the extremely rare occurrence where algal blooms, which should have disappeared, stayed within the bays making the shellfish unsafe to consume.
Even if the bays were opened in the morning, prices have entered the annual cyclical slump and most of the crop has lost its quality appearance and size as it prepares for the spring spawning season.
By closing their harvesting operations, the mussel farmers have ensured consumers are safe, but the IFA said they have no control over the length of time these natural blooms can persist in the ocean.
Out of business
Producers are not arguing with the science or criteria which closed them down, but the IFA said many of these farmers have been out of business for many months.
Under EU rules, which recognise it can be extremely painful for producers, a special scheme to allow producers to stay in business was set up.
The IFA says the official recognition was enshrined in EU regulations over seven years ago.
It urged Minister Coveney to use these EU rules now to find a scheme to help dozens of small family businesses along the south west coast to stay in business.
This is the Minister’s chance to make a real difference and keep open as successful indigenous industry in an important economic black-spot.
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It was so disappointing and typical of the stupid eejit club that is an Bord Pleanála when they rejected planning permission to have Liberty Hall knocked and replaced.
Still I wonder could something be done to improve the building as it is. County Hall in Cork was a very ugly building. It was redeveloped, it’s still not the most beautiful building but it was greatly improved by the redevelopment.
Doesn’t look as bad when they wrap it in a giant cartoon strip love the one they have on it now for the centenary of the rising. Until they knock it a byelaw should be brought in that any building that ugly and that prominent should be covered by cartoon strips.
We have a few eyesores from that era. Fitzwilton House on the Grand Canal and bunkers at DCC. Currently Liberty Hall looks like it’s under construction the way they have it wrapped. It needs to be completely reclad. If it was done right it could actually look well.
Liberty hall woudl be a fine looking building if it’s occupants and owners were inclined to spend some money on it – they’re not.
The want it to fall to pieces so they can redevelop it into something more valuable to the, (which will be, as previous plans demonstrate, will be of no architectural merit whatsoever).
Actually Phil. …I believe they had plans to tart it up that were rejected by the planning quangos as being out of line with the area’s something or other lol
They did? What sort of tarting up? Some repair of the facade and replacement of the windows outside, some architectural lighting and some refurb and modern HVAC is all that would be needed.
In 2012 SIPTU were given permission for it to be demolished and replaced. That plan was rightly overturned by ABP. It’s one of the city’s to best examples of post modern architecture which if looked after would be wonderful additions to the city, but they (the other being Bus Aras) are neglected.
It’s okay, they’re definitely not the best looking building designs I’ve seen, but still anything is a vast improvement on the crime against architecture that is Hawkins House.
If the quality of materials was key to the re-paving of Grafton Street you can forget about the new building looking anything like the architectural render shown.
Still ugly, typically unimaginative Box like structures that do nothing to improve the area around them. Here’s an idea. ..abolish an tasche..and bord plonker and replace then with experienced people who don’t think they are regulating a giant museum And allow some of our architects to think imaginatively
The members of these committees get paid no matter the outcome, the definition of impartial and its not like they are desk jockey wanna be politicians. The majority hold a least a masters in the field of construction, and many have private experience in the industry.
Additionally the design is defined, by the architects (in this case the OPW) and in this case adjudicated by Dublin City council prior to even getting to An Bord Pleanala.
Platypus….holding a degree in something does not guarantee anything. Indeed it would seem that you hold a masters in tripe spouting as you put it by coming out with such nonsense. Dublin had no skyline despite what is citizens want and if you think defending a bunch of unimaginative buffoons justifys that lack of imagination you’re mistaken. Our city deserves better than an endless procession of hutch like structures that do nothing to enhance our city. Show me some evidence Iof the ability of the people you’re defending and perhaps I may start to take you seriously. In the absence of evidence. …architectural or otherwise may I politely suggest that you continue your explorations on the subject of tripe which I might add that you are coming along very well
I’m guessing this must have gone out to tender, and this was selected by the HSE, and then seconded by the council, followed by Bord Planeala, and the Taisce and neither of them thought that now might the be time to engage in architects that would put forward something more modern-city like, rather than these vanilla boxes that just look like a brighter improvement on Anglo’s old building on Stephen’s green. Look at some of the ideas from NBBJ, or that company in Paris who were making shadowless curved building that divert light to the blocked areas. At 10 stories, nearly any modern architect with such a big space to play with would be able to have zero impact o lighting around the area, but even in the mock ups, they are shrouded in shadow. Give them 10 years before the mould grows and they will be another Hawkin House.
Vincent. …of course I it is. …that’s why the test of the world are still commissioning and building iconic buildings. ..because they’re soo….well iconic. …unlike the match box rubbish we. Have
Tall buildings should be exclusive to the Docklands area and away from city centre. Tall buildings in the city centre would ruin its character and leave swathes of ground level areas in dark shade.
Prionsias buildings that height in a city with a low sun cause major problems with blocking the sun and making the streets dark. And thus increase crime, depression and many other things . It’s a huge area of study you should look into it, some if the findings are crazy but do explain why high rises don’t work.
Really???? This is supposed to be better???? It just looks like another ugly “architect” designed heap of glass and metal and token stone frame. This building is being built characterless and will in no way enhance the city.
Dave. …probably not architect types. …maybe more like people with an eye for good design or a desire to see our lovely city with some well deserved imaginative buildings rather than squat ugly boxes
Exactly Mark, but look at the proposed design! “good design” “imaginative” I really do not think these designs will improve the city. Looks like more junk like the Bank building or the Dublin city building on Wood Quay.
curves can go out over the street as well – that courtyard could have hundreds of square metres of office space and apartments above it if done right. Although knowing DCC, they would probably have all the residential space far, far undergound. BTW – I take it all governement office space is single use, i.e. no intent to make it part residential to finance the upkeep and make it a living space?
biggest eyesore in Dublin is city council offices on wood quay built on brown envelopes and corruption and obscuring one of the citys most iconic buildings Christchurch,
My first ever job was in a shipping company on the tenth floor of Hawkins House. Spectacular views and you don’t have to see the outside of the building while you’re in it.
Not particularly ugly but those new buildings don’t look that more different then the current offices for The Department of Agriculture. Pretty much the same old stuff. Is there someone pulling strings in the background that gets a wet dream thinking about all offices looking pretty much just like that? Would seem way too utilitarian.
Not much of a replacement! Why is it that all tall buildings proposed and permitted in Dublin in the past few years look the same!? No imaginative or different design at all, just square glazed blocks with steel skeleton. Has the one architect got a monopoly on development or are they all just unimaginative?
It’s always been like that, Victorian houses look the same , Georgian houses look the same , 3 bed semis firm the 80s look the same, duplex houses in the 00s like the same , thatched cottages from the 1900s look the same, art decor look the same .norman castles look the same,
Nothing will ever come near the theatre royal since they pulled it down on the same site where hawkings house is years ago. The theatre royal was the jewel in the crown for theatre goers everywhere
I’d say joint ugliest along with Liberty Hall. Also, although a vast improvement on what’s there, the new buildings aren’t exactly an architectural masterpiece. They’re a bit ugly too if you ask me.
12 storeys? Sure that’s a skyscraper by Irish standards.
When you combine this with the 9 storey building at City Quay, the 22 building and 12 storey building at Tara street station redevelopment, as well as the existing 12 storey (?) building at Georges Quay, we might actually start to have a decent skyline in that area.
We’ll be running out of sky and oxygen at this rate….
When it was built it got an Award, I suppose the new building will get an Award from the same organisation. The Library i DunLaghoire is the ugliest building in Europe but the different Architectural institutes and organisations keep giving themselves awards as long as it generates work even though a lot of their buildings are a blight on the environment. Any architect worth his weight hates straight lines — they adore art and good archaic tire like Georgian Dublin. Nobody taking pictures of the IFCS, it is and industrial estate for bankers and not designed to be full of beautiful buildings.
1. I don’t think people are so much repulsed by these buildings as they are by the bare-faced concrete scowl that bends over the city. A lick of paint would work wonders. Failing that, even just fixing up the blinds and the windows would have a great affect on the buildings. These have been inexplicably ratty-looking for years and years.
2.The proposed replacement buildings are just this generation’s rewording of the same wrong answer to the question of how to use this area of the city. Their features are poorly proportioned (length and width of windows etc.), obtuse and imposing and try to pass off their lack of character as minimalism. It’s like dominating a conversation by being silent. Future generations will dislike them in roughly equal measure to how we view Hawkins House.
3. Dublin manages to misapply height sensitivity too much. Look at the very first image of it as it appears looking south from the river- is the view really improved by having all of the buildings shorten so cumbersomely as they reach the river?
Not much of in improvement, just more Euroclone building for our increasingly bland city.
A Guy, The quoted reason Sean Cannery gave was:- “It is clear that Hawkins House is now obsolete and no longer meets the demand for modern flexible workspace. ”
Doesn’t sound like a good reasn to me for demolishing and rebuilding, unless the new development has accordian / balloon-like qualities.
They should be taller, that area is a great location to build a couple of high rise buildings and give Dublin a skyline, instead of sprawling the city down along the docklands with small box shaped buildings!
You can call the OPW out for wasting money for many things e.g. they have been relaying the paving and building a wall at Georges Quay for the last 3 years but to say there is nothing wrong with these buildings is rubbish.
They fail to meet the requirements on every level for Category A or even Category B office classification. How much do you reckon is spent on heating every year for a single glazed building of that size?
As previously pointed out the netting to stop parts of the building falling off and hitting people is indicative of a building that has serious issues.
The only people that will object to this are the Dept. of Health worker who is pissed at the thoughts of losing his free city centre public sector parking space when they move down to Baggot Street lol
- so how much do you reckon a renovation would cost that is if its even possible given the structural issues.
- Would that represent value for money compared to a new build?
- Does the positive externalities of the creation of a new street, shopping and the associated rejuvenation in a run down part of town feature in your calculations?
- How would a renovation address the lack of space (the new building proposed more than doubles the floor space? Are you in favour of keeping the surface car parking or would you need to develop new builds on that too at additional cost?
- On the logic of minimising the rent, I am assuming you where in favour of decentralisation then? That worked out well didn’t it?
- And given the state of the Health Service I would question your use of the word “work”
Yes, that Decentralisation of the Civil Service turned out badly, alright.
But as regards the office space issue, Government Departments have always had branches in buildings all over the place.
My main concern is that it would be a costly operation to demolish and rebuild a building for reasons other than engineering reasons. I presume the pre-stressed concrete, whater, is still in fine order.
I have in mind the tearing down and rebuilding of the Gaiety Centre for shopping. I suppose if they hadn’t torn it down, the mannequins would have been discommoded, or something.
Not energy efficient , I imagine they have poor air conditioning and are very uncomfortable , probably don’t meet modem regulations, more than likely have a max of cat 3 cable.
If it was cheaper to keep them they would, it’s clearly not
I can’t believe what’s going on in this Country the building is ugly and needs to be upgraded and the Dail is being remodelled while we have hospitals full of patients on trolleys and 6,000 homeless no jobs and politicians all set for a long summer holiday makes me want to PUKE .
Why? Where would they work ! We nee office space , there 50m from a dart line which means workers can live in the suburbs, the day will go from bsllbriggan to greystones that’s s huge scope for housing
1. I don’t think people are so much repulsed by these buildings as they are by the bare-faced concrete scowl that bends over the city. A lick of paint would work wonders. Failing that, even just fixing up the blinds and the windows would have a great affect on the buildings. These have been inexplicably ratty-looking for years and years.
2.The proposed replacement buildings are just this generation’s rewording of the same wrong answer to the question of how to use this area of the city. Their features are poorly proportioned (length and width of windows etc.), obtuse and imposing and try to pass off their lack of character as minimalism. It’s like dominating a conversation by being silent. Future generations will dislike them in roughly equal measure to how we view Hawkins House.
3. Dublin manages to misapply height sensitivity too much. Look at the very first image of it as it appears looking south from the river- is the view really improved by having all of the buildings shorten so cumbersomely as they reach the river?
Not much of in improvement, just more Euroclone buildings for our increasingly bland city.
The buildings are hardly inspiring but better than what’s there. Plazas are grand in a southern European setting but in grey Ireland they often look depressing.
Wow this looks like it could be like a mega new mega cool place to score a few lines of coke or grams of Huddersfield Can’t wait. Nice one board planala
The amount of times I was in and out of there trying to clear customs documents before they close at 4pm. Only those of us who did it would get all nostalgic…
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