A multi-million Euro expansion proposed for the Dunbia meat processing factory in Kilbeggan

A multi-million Euro expansion proposed for the Dunbia meat processing factory in Kilbeggan will create up to 100 new jobs in the construction phase alone if given the green light by local planners according to the firm.

The plans for the proposed new 13 million Euro expansion, which will see the production capactiy of the facility increase significantly if successful, includes details for construction of slaughtering facilities, a new value added section, plant rooms and a new effluent treatment plant.

Describing the new development as a “huge vote of confidence” in the Kilbeggan area by the Dobson family-the Northern Irish owners of Dunbia- and Enterprise Ireland which is providing a grant of over four million Euro for the development, Padraig Browne, Managing Director of Dunbia Ireland, admitted to the Westmeath Examiner that until the new expansion is completed it would be very hard to quantify how many new jobs would be created, but that “we hope there will be a lot more jobs going forward.”

Over seventy staff from the Kilbeggan factory, which currently has a workforce of 218, were made redundant last year, but according to Dunbia most of these workers have been reemployed since, a fact which Mr Browne is proud of.

“Given the times that we’re in we feel that that’s a pretty good achievement. Without the managers, employees and staff that we’ve got none of this would happen and we would like to thank them for their hard work and loyalty. It makes us what we are.”

Local planners have received a number of objections to the proposed expansion by locals concerned about the impact the development will have on the locality, but according to Dunbia’s Group Engineering Manager, Austin Weir, the firm intends to ease fears through a consultation process with a third party.

“If people have issues with potential noise or smells, or if they are worried that we will be a nuisance to our neighbours- no that is not our intention and as part of our Environmental Impact statement we will address those issues.If you are asking me if we are going to build a whopper of a plant here and cause all of our neighbours losts of problems with noise and smells and lots of trucks at night that’s not our intention and not only that the planners won’t allow us to do that.”

Big Freeze costing firms E630m a week

Friday, December 03 12:20:32

The current Big Freeze is costing Irish businesses around E630m a week, according to a survey from employers group, IBEC today.

It found that absenteeism is costing E170m a week, retailers are losing E170m a week, other service providers are losing E200m a week and losses to manufacturers is running at E130m.

"This is one of busiest times of year for companies and the adverse weather has had a very negative impact on production, sales and cash flow. While the cost has been substantial, it would have significantly higher were it not for the improved response from Government and local authorities," said IBEC Director of Policy Brendan Butler.

The survey found that over half of businesses rate the response to the adverse weather conditions as good or very good at both national (56.2pc) and local (51.1pc) government level. This is a significant improvement on how business rated the response last January, when few businesses rated the national government (16pc) and local authority (31pc) response as good or very good.

Better clearing and treatment of major roads and improved public transport resulted in less than 9pc of staff being absent due to weather conditions, compared to a figure of 13pc last January. However, it should be noted that the survey was carried out in the first half of the week, it is reasonable to assume that absentee levels and the cost to business would have increased significantly as weather conditions worsened, IBEC said.

However, it said that it should be stressed that much of the cost will be recovered over the coming weeks as business returns to normal, especially given that firms have significant spare capacity. Most of the 'costs' are actually sales/production postponed rather than sales/production lost permanently. This is not the case for all businesses however, and many retailers, for example, have experienced a significant fall in sales, which will not be recovered.

"It is important that everyone, including business, plays their part in ensuring that the economic costs are minimised. Insofar as possible, owners and occupiers of buildings in urban areas should clear snow off footpaths. It is unrealistic to expect councils to have all the necessary resources required. It is encouraging that government and local authorities seem to be coping better than earlier in the year, although there is still room for improvement," Mr Butler said.

The survey also found that late arrival of staff was one of the main issues with 83pc of respondents either having major or slight difficulties in this area, while over half the respondents had difficulties either delivering goods to customers (51pc) or having goods delivered to their own businesses (54pc).

Over two-thirds (68pc) of respondents experienced difficulties in their ability to travel to their own customers and almost six out of ten (59pc) respondents experienced difficulties in relation to sales.

Slow Attitude

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More than ever before, modern individual is running a unique hurdle race where the speedometer pointer determines its own existence. Detachment from nature and its pace, linked with the seasons and other elements out of our control seem to be a mirage in today’s Western societies. Cities become anonymous and we just hover around submerged in our own peculiar universe of interests. Rush is the motor of all our actions; it is the grand prix kinetics that surrounds all our life, speeding it up, making the most out of every single second, worshipping a speed that does not makes us better.

The Slow Movement does not aim to shake the very foundations of all that have been built to date. It intends to reveal the possibility of living life fully but at a slower pace, where individuals can control and own their existence. The key lies in finding the right pace for each part of our daily race. We should be able to run when it is necessary and cope with the feared stress that too many a time is upon us; however, we should also be able to know when to stop and enjoy an extended present which too often ends up buried by near future duties.

Slowness is often related to negative values. Clumsiness, disinterest, tedium are dimensions that do not include the positive effects resulting from a paused, well-thought and safe attitude.

Important decisions can not be taken always randomly or impulsively. We are all aware of that. It is hard to believe that multitasking could lead to good results; it rather leads to mediocrity in different scenarios. Likewise, inactivity is not always synonymous with emptiness. A contemplative attitude makes us integral part of our environment and can harbor bright ideas which may positively influence our behavior.
The Slow Movement intends to provide individuals with the tools to prevent their existence to be merely a succession of chained scenarios void of emotions.

Overall, the Slow Movement is a source of pleasure, useful to escape from a standardized life ruled by the minute hand of our wrist watch, subdued by a speed that blows away our capacity of enjoying a long-awaited moment when it finally arrives.

The Slow Movement first began in Piazza di Spagna, Rome, in 1986. Its birth is intimately related to certain anti-establishment attitude in open opposition to the Americanization of Europe. When journalist Carlo Petrini witnessed the opening of a well-known fast food restaurant on this historical enclave of the Italian capital, an earthquake shook his very own body. Definitely, the boundaries of what is acceptable have been crossed, and he understood -in an almost visionary way- the dangers lying ahead for the dietary habits of the population in the Old Continent,

dazzled and prone to imitate the vital pace set on the other side of the ocean. The answer came promptly. It sparked the creation of Slow Food, the seed of a movement to come.
The idea was very simple; to protect seasonal, fresh, local products against fast food harassment and to defend local producers’ interests, being sustainable, respecting bio-diversity and warning against the evident danger of overexploiting the soil for financial reasons.

After Slow Food, the idea was applied to different essential areas of our existence: sex, health, work, schooling or leisure: becoming all of them part of the Slow Movement.

Twenty years were needed before the slow community started to gain notoriety worldwide. True to itself, it has spread slowly but nonstop. Its influence is particularly strong in Europe although thousands of people around the world follow the slow dynamics.

The so-called Slow Cities stand as the culminating expression of the movement. Fighting against homogenization and betting hard on the benefits of diversity, some city majors from different regions have taken up the battle started by Petrini, creating spaces in favor of slow-pace development.

Slow Cities are places where nothing is ruled by chance. People’s activities revolve around squares, which encourages the social interaction of agoras. Of course, the production of local – and in some cases even endemic- food is fostered, and small handicraft stores line up one next to the other on the narrow streets of historical places.

Far from standing against the capitalist logic, Slow Cities nourish from select tourism attracted by the positive effects absorbed through the senses.
The intention is crystal-clear; to create a network of people coming from all around the world who share these places where the art of good cooking is closely related to the local open idiosyncrasy; to cared hospitality and total respect for the environment. In so doing, as Petrini himself states, some virtuous kind of globalization occurs, where all connecting parties get a highly positive feedback from this experience, getting to know the apricot varieties in the Vesuvius area, or allowing the discovery of Maresme peas to those interested and living on the other side of the Earth.

The Loft is established since 1992 in Kilbeggan, a pleasant little town on the River Brosna Situated on the old Galway / Athlone road. Kilbeggan is renowned for Famous for Lockes Distillery, The Oldest distillery in Ireland and Found 1757 and for The Loft!. The loft was born in the old barn owned by the Kelly family. The building still retains its original structure and style, stone walls, wooden floors and the magical spirit, inherited from the historic site. Today we serve traditional Irish-style dishes, with the bladed and the touch of the new European cuisine. The Loft, Kilbeggan and The Heritage.

The Loft

The Loft Kilbeggan

Good memories. Greetings to my. CORE's friends from Ballinahown.

Snow Kills Off Ireland

When I lived in Veneto you were used to snow. Over there it was normal. People had winter tyres and / or chains. Veneto didn't come grinding to a halt when there was a bit of snow.

How about Ireland?

Well Ireland does come to a grinding halt.

The short trip from the office to the house this evening was horrendous. Trying to drive when you have zero traction is not "fun". Losing control completely for a few seconds on black ice is scary.

So how long will this last?
Michele Neylon


From Michele.me Blog

Kilbeggan under snow

By snow and ice we had to remain closed for two days, on Tuesday 30/11/2010 and Wednesday 01/12/2010. 02/12/2010 On Thursday we will be open as usual