Other News In Brief

Telecoms Firm To Create 600 New Jobs

Telecoms contractor KN Circet is set to create 600 new jobs.

The firm's clients include the likes of Eir, Openreach, BT Ireland and Virgin Media.

The new roles, arising in various different departments, were announced as the company launched a new training academy in Co Dublin.

Some 200 jobs are being added in areas like administration, fibres splicing, cabling and smart metering installations, with a further 400 to be created over the next year.

Telecoms operatives and electricians will also be trained up to work on future projects.

FF: Govt Could Have Prevented RTE Job Losses

Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Arts, Culture, and Heritage, Niamh Smyth TD has said the Government could have prevented the job losses and restructuring at RTE if TV licence evasion issues were resolved.

Deputy Smith said the downgrading of services and cost reduction plans are directly linked to the mass evasion of licence fees and continued lack of action on the matter.

"Successive Communications Minsters have turned a blind eye to the issue, and now we are seeing job losses and regional studio closures as a result," she explained.

"To begin cuts at production level and the removal of some valued services is a big mistake. Not only are creatives losing employment, the abolishing of these jobs removes entry to creative roles for graduates and the next generation of those working in media production.

"I believe a greater focus is needed on collecting the television licence fee before further drastic cuts are implemented. €35 million to €50 million of the TV Licence fee is just not collected. The future of public service broadcasting could be secured in large part through this alone.

"Unless Fine Gael begins to get to grips with the problem of TV licence evasion, it will continue to threaten the future of public service broadcasting," concluded Deputy Smyth.

Water Mains Renewals Progress In Donegal

A project to replace ageing water mains is progressing well across Co Donegal.

The latest phase of works in Cashel, Gortahork, will see a section of the L-11533 Ardsbeg Water Treatment Plant Road closed from 8am on Monday 11 November until 6pm on Friday 20 December.

Emergency and local access for residents will be maintained at all times. An alternative route is in place which will be clearly sign-posted.

These works will involve the decommissioning and replacement of a section of old and damaged water pipes with modern, high density polyethelene (plastic) pipes. This forms part of Irish Water's national Leakage Reduction Programme which will reduce the high level of leakage across the country by fixing or replacing ageing water mains over the next four years.

Explaining further, Irish Water's Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead Declan Cawley said: "Irish Water is committed to safeguarding the water supply for customers in Gortahork. These works will involve the decommissioning and replacement of a section of water main on the L-11535 Ardsbeg Water Treatment Plant Road, Cashel, Gortahork and include laying water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers' property boundaries and connecting them to the customer's water supply. Where the existing service connections on the public side are lead these will be replaced as part of this improvement work."