Other News In Brief

Call For New Forestry Policy For Ireland

A call has been issued for a new forestry policy for Ireland following the publication of an all-of-Government Climate Action Plan last week.

This comes after forestry company Coillte introduced a new initiative, 'Coillte Nature', which will see nine commercial forests in the Dublin Mountains converted for recreational use and the protection of biodiversity.

The Green Party has welcomed the initiative and called for an extension across the country.

The party's spokesperson for forestry, Pippa Hackett said: "I would like to see this type of approach extended and integrated into the all-of-Government Climate Action Plan published earlier in the week. 

"We need a new forestry policy for Ireland. Instead of short rotation monoculture crops we should be planting diverse 'continuous cover' forests which store carbon and promote biodiversity and soil and water management. Action 110 of the all-of-Government plan will look to develop a roadmap to a land-use plan for Ireland. This type of initiative should be part of a wider approach to forestry policy in this country and this is the opportunity to make it happen.

"Some of our forests, particularly in the northwest of Ireland, could be managed in this way in the form of a new National Park, by switching to a 'continuous cover' rather than 'clear felling' model of forestry and ensuring that locals benefit first from any woodland activity in the area.

"Trees are worth far more as part of a forest park as a recreational facility rather than being chopped down for lumber, and new research has shown that as little as a two-hour 'dose' of nature a week can have dramatic positive health outcomes. We need more projects like this to allow people to make the most of local woodlands."

People Accessing Housing Benefit Face 'Systematic Discrimination'

A Sinn Féin politician has hit out at the "systematic discrimination" against those on housing benefit accessing housing in the private rented sector.

This follows the publication of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) 2018 annual report.

Speaking on the report's findings, the party's Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said: "The report indicates that since Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) was introduced, queries around HAP was one of the most common reasons for people to contact the IHREC Your Rights service.

"It is our view that the Work Place Relations Commission is not the place for prospective tenants to take cases on instances of landlords refusing to take HAP.

"IHREC shares this view and has called on the government to explore other initiatives to deal with this problem.

"Tenants and landlords alike are now used to dealing with the Residential Tenancies Board with it comes to these matters and maybe investigating and enforcing findings of discrimination against people in receipt of housing benefits should fall under their remit."

Deputy Ó Broin has written to Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy asking him to outline if his department has explored any alternatives to dealing with this problem.

Dublin & Donegal Claim Provincial Glory

Dublin and Donegal have claimed the Provincial Championships in Leinster and Ulster respectively, securing their places in the All-Ireland Super 8.

The Leinster final saw Dublin comfortably defeat Meath, 1-17 to 0-4, while Donegal won by five points against Cavan at Clones.

They join Connacht champions Roscommon and Munster winners Kerry in the Super 8.

(CM/JG)