Articles in the Headline Category

No Border posts but plenty of change coming soon say Ministers Peter Hughes The triumvirate (assuredly not the troika) of Government Ministers present at Friday’s “Getting Ireland Brexit Ready” event in Monaghan Town’s Four Seasons Hotel were all samehymn- sheet synchronicity when they faced the media at the midpoint of a conference which drew an attendance of around 400 business representatives from across the Border region. With the latest ultimately inconclusive round of negotiations on the UK’s departure from the European Union still glowing red-hot in the British media headlines and ...

Shareholders of LacPatrick Dairies (formerly Town of Monaghan Co-Op and Ballyrashane) and Lakeland Dairies (incorporating Lough Egish) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the merger of both dairy processing businesses. LacPatrick shareholders from both sides of the border met in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone while a separate special general meeting for Lakeland suppliers was held in Cavan. An independent ballot of each society was held under the auspices of the Irish Cooperative Organisation Society. Almost 96% of shareholders of LacPatrick Dairies voted in favour of the merger, whilst the margin at ...

Peter Hughes Taoiseach Leo Varadkar gained some surcease from the turbulent events of national politics when he fulfilled public engagements in Cootehill and Emyvale on Friday last. At the end of a week in which Communications Minister Denis Naughten TD resigned because of the National Broadband Plan imbroglio, prompting some overheated national media speculation about the prospect of a General Election, Mr Varadkar stepped into a more relaxed and welcoming atmosphere when he turned the sod for the new Holy Family School development in Cootehill before proceeding to Emyvale’s Blackwater ...

New Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton TD is facing immediate calls to commission an independent inquiry into the EirGrid north-south electricity interconnector development. Mr Bruton inherited the portfolio following last week’s resignation of Denis Naughten TD after details emerged of private dinners he attended with one of the leading bidders for the National Broadband Plan contract. Those opposed to the EirGrid development will be watching Mr Bruton’s public statements closely for signs of a more flexible attitude than the doctrinaire one struck by Minister Naughten in ...

Ahead of a special general meeting on Tuesday 23 October in the Glenavon House Hotel, Cookstown, Co Tyrone, LacPatrick shareholders have been urged to turn out in large numbers to support the merger with Lakeland Dairies. Registration opens at 12.30 pm on Tuesday October 23. In comments directed to shareholders ahead of the meeting, LacPatrick Dairies chairman Andrew McConkey said: “Together with the rest of your Board, I am personally asking you to come out and…

By Veronica Corr The Market House, Clones, one of the town’s most historic buildings on The Diamond, recently received a new lease of life after years of dereliction. This stunning landmark is the new home of Ballybay/Clones Municipal District and Local Authority offices. Its restoration blends the old with the new and the conservation architects managed to preserve the original period features of the Victorian building. The local community came out in force last Friday afternoon, October 5th, to see the renovation for themselves, when it was officially launched….

“Keep the race in its place” By Veronica Corr If you feel the need, the need for speed, the public roadway is no place to be indulging in that fantasy, but happily the Rally School of Ireland in Scotstown has got a place to race, although the emphasis is still most definitely on safety. Hence, the launch of their new Driver Training Centre of Excellence, which is aimed at professional drivers, young drivers that are new to the road, Emergency Services, post-accident drivers and improving drivers — but everyone, regardless…

Peter Hughes The process of rates revaluation underway in Co Monaghan should reflect the commercial realities facing local businesses on the ground, a public meeting held in Monaghan Town last week was told. Around 100 ratepayers from across the county assembled in the Four Seasons Hotel for a public information session on the process that will see owners of commercial premises in the county receive new assessments from the Valuation Office in March of next year. The office’s Head of Valuation Services Declan Lavelle said that rates reductions had been ...

DEAL NEEDS APPROVAL BY SHAREHOLDERS Michael Fisher LacPatrick Dairies, formerly the Town of Monaghan Co-op, has agreed the terms for a merger with County Cavan based Lakeland Dairies. Together they will become the second largest dairy processor on the island of Ireland. The boards of both cooperatives have unanimously recommended the merger to shareholders. They will need to approve the deal at Special General Meetings in Cavan (Lakeland) and Coleraine (LacPatrick) on Tuesday 23rd October. A successful merger would underpin a sustainable and competitive milk price for thousands of dairy farmers ...

More Calls for Electricity Project to be Placed Underground after Publication of Expert Reports EirGrid was given sight of reports in advance of publication Michael Fisher “It’s entirely up to the landowners now.” That was the reaction from Nigel Hillis of the County Monaghan Anti Pylon Committee. It followed the publication by the government on Tuesday of two ‘independent’ reports that endorsed EirGrid’s controversial plans for the North South interconnector as an overhead line with 400 pylons. If the landowners don’t want an overhead line and pylons on their land and ...