News Friday 26-4-24
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World wine production dropped 10% last year, the biggest fall in more than six decades, due to “extreme” climate changes, the body that monitors the trade said. “Extreme environmental conditions” including droughts, fires and other problems with climate were mostly to blame for the drastic fall, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) said, that covers nearly 50 wine producing countries. Australia and Italy suffered the worst, with 26% and 23% drops. Harvests in Chile and South Africa were down by more than 10%. The OIV said the global grape harvest was the worst since 1961, and worse even than its early estimates in November. Director John Barker highlighted “drought, extreme heat and fires, as well as heavy rain causing flooding and fungal diseases across major northern and southern hemisphere wine producing regions.” Although he said climate problems were not solely to blame for the drastic fall, “the most important challenge that the sector faces is climate change. “We know that the grapevine, as a long-lived plant cultivated in often vulnerable areas, is strongly affected by climate change,” he added. France bucked the falling harvest trend, with a 4% rise, making it by far the world’s biggest wine producer.
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Irish Water detected 52 cases of pesticides that exceeded allowable amounts in drinking water last year.The incidents were not a threat to public health, according to the body, which is part of a coalition now urging farmers, gardeners and those maintaining sporting facilities to use alternatives to pesticides or to ensure they are used responsibly. Significant progress has been made in recent years with the number of pesticide exceedances in public water supplies down 50% since 2018. A pesticide exceedance occurs when the level of a substance found exceeds what is deemed allowable under EU law. The threshold is generally one-tenth of one-millionth of a gramme of pesticide per litre. Last year, there were more than 50 such exceedances detected, according to Irsh Waters Drinking Water Compliance Senior Manager Dr Pat O’Sullivan. He said: “In public drinking water supplies, exceedances for pesticides were detected 52 times nationally in 2023.”While our consultation with the HSE has concluded that the levels we are detecting do not represent a threat to public health, they are still however undesirable in drinking water, and it is therefore imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when using herbicides or pesticides and seek out alternatives,” Dr O’Sullivan added.
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Taoiseach Simon Harris has condemned attacks on gardaí during a protest at a site earmarked to accommodate international protection applicants in Co Wicklow last night. Mr Harris said gardaí are “charged with upholding the laws of the land and they should be supported in doing so”. “This is a country of laws. Attacks on gardaí should be condemned by all,” he added. Six people arrested, four men, one woman and a juvenile, are still being detained. Three garda cars were damaged at the protest at the site in Netownmountkennedy. For the past six weeks, protests have been held at the site known as Trudder House or River Lodge, which has been earmarked to accommodate international protection applicants. In a statement, gardaí said “a number of trespassers were also identified and added that the Public Order Unit was deployed. “The use of force included the use of Incapacitant spray and deployment of Public Order Gardaí in Public Order helmets and shields,” gardaí said.
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There are patients 3 waiting on trolleys in the emergency department at St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny today and 7 patients waiting on the wards. That’s according to the latest daily INMO trolley watch figures.
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There will be a Temporary Road Closure on L7406 at Tubbrid, Mooncoin 26/04/2024 Kilkenny County Council wish to advise that the L7406 at Tubbrid, Mooncoin, will be closed to traffic between 7:00am and 7:00pm on Friday 26th April, 2024 to facilitate roadworks. Local diversions will be in place during the course of these works via the L7405 Tubbrid, L7404 Barrabehy and L7403 Killinaspick. Local access will be facilitated when possible and safe to do so, but delays should be expected. Kilkenny County Council appreciates your cooperation and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
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Lingering rain and cloud will clear the south through the morning. Sunshine elsewhere before cloud builds and showers develop in the morning. Some bright or sunny spells for the afternoon and evening with well scattered showers, some heavy. The best of the sunshine will be in the east later on. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in a light to moderate northeasterly breeze.
TONIGHT
Showers will die away early on tonight with long clear spells following. Cold with lowest temperatures of -1 to 3 degrees and a touch of frost. Patches of mist and fog may form in light northerly breezes.
Pollen Forecast Moderate on Friday and Saturday.
Solar UV Index Moderate Friday and Saturday.
TOMORROW – Saturday 27th April
Starting off cloudy with showers or longer spells of rain in the east and southeast but mainly dry with spells of sunshine elsewhere. Rain will clear the southeast early in the afternoon. Otherwise, sunny spells and well scattered showers tomorrow, in a light to moderate northeasterly breeze. Highest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees.
