Counting on the future: Provisional census trends
Friday, August 19th, 2011The provisional figures for Census 2011, revealing the highest population in 150 years, could have big implications for the future. Stephen Dineen reports. In July the provisional figures for the 2011 Census were published, less than three months after census night. Figures were released on the number of people at electoral division, county and regional level, as well as the number of births, deaths and migration levels for the same areas over a five year period. With an increase of 8.1 per cent since 2006, Ireland now has a population of 4,581,269. This represents an increase of 17...[full story]
Environment: The economics of waste
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010Setting levies, allowing councils to choose their preferred technology and competitive tendering for household collection are the way forward for waste, the ESRI’s Paul Gorecki tells Peter Cheney. Amid the dispute over the Poolbeg incinerator, the ESRI report commissioned by Dublin City Council is one of the most substantial contributions. ‘An Economic Approach to Municipal Waste Management Policy in Ireland’ was published in February and its lead author is research professor Paul Gorecki. The objective of public policy using the economic approach is to maximise the welfare of...[full story]
Environment: Investing in water
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010A summary of the Water Services Investment Programme for 2010-2012. Three hundred and forty new contracts, worth €1.8 billion, along with €1 billion of work under way, are to be delivered by the Government’s Water Services Investment Programme over the next two years. The programme was launched in April 2010 and follows on from a €5.5 billion investment into the sector from 2000 onwards. Maria Graham, from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, outlined the programme at the Environment Ireland conference. Two-thirds of the previous programme was invested...[full story]
Departmental dossier: Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010Ireland’s green image symbolises the island and much of this department’s work is geared towards making sure that is kept up and improved. Its roots go back to the Department of Local Government in the first Dáil Éireann, renamed as a ministry by the Free State. It took on health and welfare services from 1924 to 1947, before reverting to its original job and title. The new name of Department of the Environment in 1977 reflected that area’s growing importance; ‘local government’ was added in 1997, followed by ‘heritage’ in 2003. Headquartered in the Custom House, it is...[full story]
Cover story: Strong local government
Friday, January 1st, 2010Amid the challenges of trying to implement the Dublin Waste Management Plan and the Poolbeg incinerator, dealing with the recent snow and ice, and the consequential problems with water shortages, Dublin City Manager John Tierney spoke to Owen McQuade about the financial pressures facing councils, local government reform, and the outlook for 2010 Like the rest of the public sector, John Tierney and Dublin City Council have been facing up to the economic realities of the downturn in the past 12 months. The council’s full-time workforce is down by 500, from 6,900 to 6,400 through natural...[full story]
Cover story: Strong local government
Friday, January 1st, 2010Amid the challenges of trying to implement the Dublin Waste Management Plan and the Poolbeg incinerator, dealing with the recent snow and ice, and the consequential problems with water shortages, Dublin City Manager John Tierney spoke to Owen McQuade about the financial pressures facing councils, local government reform, and the outlook for 2010 Like the rest of the public sector, John Tierney and Dublin City Council have been facing up to the economic realities of the downturn in the past 12 months. The council’s full-time workforce is down by 500, from 6,900 to 6,400 through natural...[full story]
