NEWS 1st December, 2023
Met Eireann has issued another Status Yellow – Low Temperature/Ice warning for Kilkenny and all of Ireland.
Met Éireann Warns of a very cold evening and night,with temperatures expected to fall below -3 degrees in many areas. Very cold with widespread frost and icy conditions. Fog and freezing fog too.
Possible Impacts include Hazardous conditions on roads and paths, as well as some travel disruption. This notice is valid from 5pm today, Friday until 12 noon Saturday.
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The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired this morning, despite intense diplomatic efforts to secure another extension. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says operations against Hamas have resumed to “strike them in their strongholds”.
Lt Col Peter Lerner told the BBC World Service that the IDF’s goals had remained the same throughout the conflict – to bring back all of the hostages and “destroy Hamas”.
Across Gaza heavy gunfire and large bombings have been seen and heard, while rockets have also been fired at southern Israel from the Gaza Strip
The Israeli military has blamed Hamas for violating the terms of the truce by failing to release all the female and child hostages being held in Gaza. Hamas in turn, blamed Israel for breaking the ceasefire agreement by preventing fuel supplies from reaching north Gaza.
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President Higgins has paid tribute to singer songwriter and musician, Shane MacGowan, who died yesterday. Mr Higgins said “Shane will be remembered as one of music’s greatest lyricists. Many of his songs would be perfectly crafted poems, if that would not have deprived us of the opportunity to hear him sing them.
The President said that Shane MacGowan’s “words have connected Irish people all over the globe to their culture and history, encompassing so many human emotions in the most poetic of ways”.
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Construction output in Ireland is forecast to grow at the strongest rate among 19 European countries, expanding by 3.2% this year and 4.4% in 2024. This comes at a time when total construction activity in Europe is expected to fall by approximately 2% this year and next year.
That’s according to Euroconstruct, which is holding its conference in Dublin today. In Ireland, the level of new housing completions is now expected to meet or exceed national targets, with completions estimated at 31,000 in 2023 and nearly 33,500 in 2024. Ireland is the only country forecast to see strong growth next year, up 7.9% during this period.
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There are no patient (s) waiting on trolleys in the emergency department at St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny today and 5 patient (s) waiting on the wards. That’s according to the latest daily INMO trolley watch figures.
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has officially announced that Tranche 2 of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is now open for applications and this period remains open until 5.30 pm on Wednesday, 13th December 2023, for both ACRES General and ACRES Co-operation.
Opening Tranche 2 to an additional 4,000 farmers, Agriculture Minister, Charlie McConalogue said “The Government has committed €1.5 billion to ACRES over the duration of the scheme to facilitate the participation of 50,000 farmers.
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Parking in the Market Yard, Kilkenny City will be free from 9am to 12 noon next week, from Monday 4th December to Thursday the 7th. No parking charges will apply to vehicles entering the Market Yard car park after 6pm and exiting before 2am.
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Road works continue today at Ossory Bridge, Kilkenny on the N10 Ring Road. Traffic Management including Stop/Go will be in operation Monday-Friday between 8am to 6pm daily.
Delays are to be expected. Kilkenny County Council apologises for any inconvenience caused.
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WEATHER
Very cold and bright today with sunshine and the possibility of an isolated shower, possibly of hail or sleet. Highest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees in just a light variable breeze.
Mostly dry overnight tonight. Very cold with lowest overnight temperatures of 0 to – 3 degrees with a widespread sharp frost and icy patches. Mist and fog possible too.
