Connacht Tribune
Harvesting rights are copper-fastened following State review
The generational rights of coastal residents to harvest seaweed from Connemara’s shores has been copper-fastened by the state, following clarification from a Government Minister in the Dáil this week.
Minister Damien English made it clear that families who have traditionally harvested the coastal crop can continue to do so without reference to state or any other bodies, under what is known as the ‘profit-à-prendre’ legal tenet.
But the waters have been muddied somewhat by confirmation that tenants of coastal townlands will have to apply to the Property Registration Authority in order to legally establish seaweed harvesting rights which were previously taken for granted.
And as part of that process they will be required to prove that there was a family history of seaweed harvesting in the relevant parts of the seashore – something made more difficult given the passage of time and the absence of documentation.
The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government has also advised that any owner of seaweed harvesting rights – or person claiming ownership – should contact their legal advisors before selling or leasing out those rights.
The matter arose in the Dail on foot of a motion put down by Galway West TD Catherine Connolly – along with her fellow independent from Donegal, Thomas Pringle – in relation to Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting.
That called on government to develop and publish a national strategy which would promote the development of the seaweed sector in Ireland – with particular focus on the interests of traditional seaweed harvesters and their livelihoods.
Moreover it emphasised the huge potential for sustainable job creation in the seaweed sector for rural, coastal and island communities.
The motion also called on the government not to issue any new licences to companies in the absence of such an overall strategy.
This week, Minister Damian Engish explained ‘profit-à-prendre’ as a ‘right to take’ – and this right may be registered or unregistered, according to the Minister.
“A culture of harvesting and perception of individual or family ownership of rights to harvest seaweed is mostly found on the western seaboard. Where harvesting has been carried out over a sufficiently long period a ‘profit-à-prendre’ may have been established,” he said.
Those who claim traditional rights without being registered as such will be relying on their historic connections to firmly support their applications to the Property Registration Authority.
The finding from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government were welcomed by Minister of State, Seán Kyne, T.D. and by Coiste Cladaí Chonamara, a group that campaigned for the recognition of the traditional rights.
However, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív said that there has been very little advance. He said that it would always be accepted that those who had a registered Land Folio right were entitled to harvest seaweed.
The situation where people who have had locally accepted traditional rights now have to apply for licence opens up a new scenario, he said.
The issue of traditional seaweed rights and the general terms of the 1933 Foreshore Act – amended in the nineties – appeared contradictory up to now.
The Foreshore Act inferred that any materials below the high water mark properly belonged to the State and that a licence would be required for the harvesting and removal of seaweed.
This came to head three years ago when Acadian Sea Plants, the new owners of the Arramara Teo seaweed company – headquartered in Cill Chiaráin in Connamara – applied for a seaweed harvesting licence.
This application submitted under the terms of the Foreshore Act sought a licence to harvest seaweed along a widespread area of seashore from Co Clare north along the Connemara coastline and into west Mayo.
There were also some smaller licence applications – but the one from Arramara Teo attracted most focus, since they are the largest player in the industry in Ireland.
Acadian Sea Plants from Nova Scotia bought out Arramara Teo from Údarás na Gaeltachta four years ago and the Canadian owners had a stated aim of an increase of approximately 50% in the throughput of seaweed in the Cill Chiarán plant.
They were also, in a strategy supported by Údarás na Gaeltachta, focused on producing more value added products in Connemara and consequently increasing employment levels.
However, Acadian Sea Plants sought what they termed was a guaranteed and regular supply of seaweed so that the increased investments could be justified and advanced.
Obtaining a licence over a wide area of seashore was a key element in their effort to regulate supply to the company.
Acadian Sea Plants President, JP Deveau stated in an interview earlier this year that further investment in Connemara would be contingent on a guaranteed supply of seaweed. He also stated that “Acadian Sea Plants had not come to Ireland to do three day weeks”.
A spokesman from Arramara Teo said some clarity has now been established and that the company would work with the community in ensuring that the seaweed business would be successful. They will also consult with state authorities in regard to their licence application.
“While it is now welcome that no further licences will be given to companies, it is vital that this remains the position until an overall strategy is published,” said Deputy Catherine Connolly this week.
She said that she will be raising the date for publication of this strategy in the Dáil and also clarification on what body the Minister is referring to in relation to the wild seaweed sector.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
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