Report: Christy Parker

MONEY
Town Clerk Liam Ryan told Youghal’s December Town Council meeting that organisations awarded unclaimed grants during 2008 need to claim them before Dec 31st. “We won’t be in a position to pay respectively,” he said. The only criterion is the production of annual accounts.

Meanwhile Mayor Olly Casey requested details of Cork Council’s use of Youghal’s annual contributions. Cllr Liam Burke said the 2009 contribution would hit €750,000.

Jail steps attacks
Youghal Town Councillor Michelle Hennessy wants improved lighting at the top of the Jail Steps following “a horrific attack on a young man” in the area in the early hours of a recent Sunday morning. The victim required hospitalisation thereafter. It was the third such incident in the isolated area in recent weeks. Cllr Hennessy also wished that the area be included in the forthcoming CCTV system. Shame the jail can’t be re-opened!

Where’s the toilet?
Toilet facilities to serve the Adoration Chapel & adjacent College Gardens are badly needed, according to Cllr Sandra McLellan. It is unclear whether that other centre of adoration, the newly-refurbished, recently launched, much-appreciated but relatively unoccupied Youghal Enterprise Centre could be employed to provide such as public/tourism service.

Parked cars….
A car has been parked in front of the Youghal Strand Church “since last June,” said Cllr Barbara Murray. She said the car -reg 92C369- has become a constant fixture at funeral and wedding services. Town engineer Paul Murray said there “is a procedure to be followed” and the owner had been “referred to.”

Cllr Liam Burke asked that a driver who persistently parks outside Extravision be pursued, so to speak.

…Car parking.
Town Clerk Liam Ryan dismissed Cllr Davis Savage’s plea for free on-street in Youghal in the days immediately preceding Christmas. Mr Ryan said the council simply couldn’t afford it. Equally relevant, he said many drivers would likely leave their cars parked there all day. Indeed, a Fermoy Town Councillor recently recalled how drivers used to park in town before getting the bus to Cork for Christmas shopping!

Back off Batt.
Youghal Town Council agreed to support the combined Parent and Student Councils through a written request to Minister Batt O’Keefe that he reconsider his recent cutbacks. A delegation from the combined bodies submitted a letter to the Council outlining their concerns across eleven foreseen consequences.

YOUGHAL WAVING BYE TO BLUE FLAGS.
By Christy Parker
Youghal will struggle to have one blue flag in 2009, with its three beaches under stress to meet requirements. Town Manager Patricia Power told the December Town Council meeting that “nature” had contributed to the problem, with the Front Strand flag unlikely to regain its flag and Claycastle not likely to acquire one for the coming year. She said a 23% rainfall increase, plus tidal conditions and onshore winds had contributed to a drastic overflow ferrying slurry, etc., in the catchment area around the time of the non-compliances. As such, water quality was not an issue, with the foul drainage system and attendant pumps in full working order.

Redbarn
Despite its excellent water quality, car parking facilities emerged as the Achilles heel of Blue Flag status for Redbarn. The Town Manager said An Taisce is not happy with the free movement of cars on the beach, regardless of tradition. She hoped a form of ‘corralled parking’ might suffice. Ms Power confirmed to Cllr Liam Burke that the County Council had land by which a right of way to a car parking area could be implemented and said meetings were being held with landowners as one option in line with this.

Alternatively, a system of on-beach parking might satisfy An Taisce and Town Engineer Paul Murray said he was studying photos of on-beach parking in Dublin and Donegal. Time is short however with the allocation of Blue Flag status due next March.

Outfall fallout
Cllr Dave Savage returned the discussion to the issue of pollution, given that structural impairments did not contribute to the loss of Blue Flags. He wondered if extending the outfall pipe would address this. The Town Engineer said the outfall pipe took surface water, while the sewerage is pumped into the river by a pumping station via a water tank. Cllr Savage reiterated that contaminated surface water had been detected last summer and Cork County Council owed it to Youghal to protect its tourism assets and its industry though Blue Flag status. He was, he said, repeating an earlier assertion that the Town Council’s €30,000 funding for the outflow pipe be matched.

Cllr Murray surmised that given the pollution generated by surface water, the lack of a treatment plant had little bearing on the Blue Flag loss, a point with which the Town Manager concurred. However she added that Cork County Council wouldn’t be pursuing a €20m drainage scheme if it wasn’t needed. Cllr Savage again insisted that the €30,000 be matched but Town Clerk Liam Ryan explained that double funding would only ensue after contracts had been awarded, in 2009, not before.

Raw sewerage
Cllr Casey introduced stark, sobering reality regarding the river. Youghal needs a treatment plant, he said because “the town’s entire sewerage output is being pumped into the river at two points -Green’s Quay and Paxe’s Lane” (South Abbey). The outfall is a minor matter by comparison,’ he advised. Cllr Barbara Murray offered reassurance, saying hundreds of beaches around Ireland provide good quality leisure without Blue Flag status. “It’s a very, very high standard but nobody will be swimming in filth without it,” she concluded.

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GAS TIMES AT THE LANDFILL
By Christy Parker
The issue of obnoxious odours emanating form the landfill at Foxhole hovered over the Youghal Town Council yet again at the December sitting. Cllr Dave Savage suggested a deputation be dispatched to County Hall, given the recent return of the problem after a period of subsidence as 90% of waste intake was re-routed to Kinsale Road.

However, Town Manager Patricia Power said a combination of high pressure and ongoing remedial work was largely responsible for the recent upsurge. Elaborating, albeit through haze of technical jargon, she said a capping contract has been running since last June. This has seen a gas extraction infrastructure installed which connects gas to a burning flare. The flare now burns 24 hours daily. While a greater reduction in smell has been achieved, it won’t be fully eliminated until the capping contract and the gas extraction infrastructure is complete.

Over 50% of the cells are capped and once waste is placed in the last, cell 9, the remainder can be capped. This is susceptible to bad weather but all going well should be finished within six weeks.