Norman Way loses out to Clare in awards
THE Norman Way has lost out in the Irish leg of the 2017 Eden (European Destination of Excellence) Award. Last Tuesday Scattery Island in Co Clare was named as the Irish winner beating the Norman Way and Ceide Coast in Co Mayo.
The award recognises the destination in Ireland which has best used its local tangible cultural assets to grow visitor numbers.
This Eden competition, which Fáilte Ireland manages in Ireland, is staged every two years in each EU country along a specific shared theme, and is designed to encourage and promote a more sustainable form of tourism development. Scattery Island, Ceide Coast and the Norman Way were the three Irish destinations shortlisted under this year’s Tangible Cultural Destination theme.
On Tuesday at a ceremony in the Vandeleur Walled Garden in Kilrush, Co Clare Wexford County Council was presented with a certificate for making the final.
Speaking at the ceremony today, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD said: ‘ The standard of finalists this year was exceptionally high. During the onsite assessments, The Norman Way, as well as the other destinations, clearly demonstrated that tangible culture has taken a central role in their tourism offering while also sustaining their local environment.
‘I am sure that this new accolade will go a long way to attracting even more visitors to the region, and indeed to Wexford and Ireland’s Ancient East.’
Accepting the award for The Norman Way, Eamonn Hore, Director of Services, Wexford County Council, said: ‘Given the quality of the 18 applications received by Fáilte Ireland in relation to the European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) Awards 2017, Wexford County Council deems it to be a great honour to be nominated as one of the three finalists and is happy to receive such creditable acknowledgement for The Norman Way project. ‘We believe that The Norman Way is a true treasure of Ireland’s Ancient East with its trail of authentic medieval heritage sites running through the beautiful and scenic landscape of south County Wexford, right alongside the southern coast of the county in the landscape where the Normans first arrived in Ireland.’ Scattery Island was chosen as the winning destination following on-site assessments by a panel of adjudicators who were looking for a destination that could provide examples of good practice, opportunities to improve the visitors’ cultural experience, a platform for the development of cultural tourism and an understanding of the challenges faced in the development of such tourism. The Eden network provides winners with the opportunity to foster links with other Irish and European destinations of excellence.
Replacing lead pipes
Can we get a grant to replace lead water pipes in our house?
The local authorities administer a means-tested grant scheme to help low-income households with the cost of replacing lead pipes and fittings.
If your income is below €50,000 a year, you may get a grant of up to 80% of the cost, up to a maximum of €4,000. If your income is between €50,001 and €75,000, you may get up to 50%, up to a maximum of €2,500. You will need to provide evidence of your household’s income when applying to the local authority for the grant.
You must own the premises and live in it as your principal private residence (your main home). You must get the remedial work done before applying for the grant, and it must cost at least €200.
You must have evidence of a risk of lead contamination in your home. This can either be:
• A letter from your water supplier (Irish Water or a group water scheme), advising that your water system probably contains lead pipes and fittings, or
• A recent certificate from an accredited laboratory, showing that the level of lead in your water supply is higher than the legal limit
The contractor who does the work must give you the following: a current tax clearance certificate; itemised receipts; written confirmation that the works carried out and the materials used are of an appropriate quality and standard.
You will need to enclose all these documents with your grant application. If you are an Irish Water customer and you plan to replace your lead piping, you must first apply for Irish Water’s Customer Opt-in Lead Pipe Replacement Scheme.
You may be able to get some tax relief under the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) scheme even if you get a grant to replace your lead piping – see revenue.ie.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Service below.