Benefits of going solar...
LIVING in Ireland, you might think that investing in solar panel energy for your home is a waste of time but you could not be further from the truth with the energy collected from solar panels having huge benefits for your home and in making it more energy efficient.
With an ever increasing urgency around the issue of climate change and helping the planet, more and more people are looking for a clean, natural and renewable source of energy for their homes – well, we’re here to help and give you everything that why you should think about installing a solar panel in your home.
The benefits of installing a solar panel are numerous: from cheaper electricity bills, improving your Building Energy Rating (BER) and reducing your emissions to name but a few.
On average, homeowners who have installed a solar panel system in their home can expect to save you from between €200-€300 per year on your domestic electricity bill through their solar panel system and when times are tough, especially in these uncertain times, every little bit of savings can will make a big difference to a household’s running costs.
An improved BER rating, which the installation of a solar panel will give you, is a huge factor that will come into play if you’re thinking selling your home in the future and can lead to a higher sale price compared to a home with a lower BER rating.
Finally, what is arguably the most important aspect of going solar is the benefit that solar energy as opposed to fossil fuel energy will have on the environment.
Solar energy is one of the cleanest sources of energy, and it’s an extremely effective way of helping to make your household more efficient and sustainable.
Solar panels don’t use any water to generate electricity, they don’t release harmful gases into the environment, and the source of their energy is abundant and, best of all, free.
SO, Micheál has access to highspeed broadband and an up- todate laptop after all. With the very future of the country at stake, he managed to root around Dáil Éireann and procure a dusty old modem, one of Enda’s old computers, and a couple of HDMI cables.
As a result he no longer needs to go to Washington for St Patrick’s Day, he can chat to Uncle Joe from right here in Ireland - the wonders of technology, eh?
At one point it was suggested America wouldn’t like us anymore if Micheál didn’t visit Joe. That was scary. Upon hearing that I, for one, was ready to pack the Taoiseach’s suitcase for him, willing to roam the countryside to find the most luscious sprigs of shamrock possible and personally transport them to The White House.
But thankfully, Micheál found that laptop and disaster was averted. Himself and Joe have already exchanged details on their video conferencing call app of choice and are all set for a massive big chat on Paddy’s Day. Unfortunately my shamrock-picking skills won’t be required, but I’m sure someone as Irish as President Biden has access to his own stash.
From a PR perspective it’s the best outcome Micheál Martin could have expected; he gets to maintain relations with the most powerful nation in the western world while also avoiding the wrath of his constituents and, of course, the opposition.
The outcry if he had gone would have been deafening, ‘ Typical politician, off to America while the rest of us can’t even visit our parents,’ ‘One rule for them, another for the rest of us.’ That kind of thing.
Sinn Féin would have had a field day, used it as another example of how out-oftouch the ruling parties have become. And come election time it would have been used as a stick with which to beat Micheál and the entire Fianna Fáil party.
Right now, with tensions running higher than ever before, the last thing any politician wants to do is upset the people, give the mob further reason to bray - they’re all terrified.
Which is why they would never do what many of their US contemporaries have done and get vaccinated early. Biden and his vice-president, Kamala Harris, have both received their jabs, giving them the freedom to attend meetings and gatherings in person, to govern without fear of contracting Covid-19.
Obviously supply is more of an issue here than it is in the States, we are being vaccinated at a snail’s pace, so slow that Micheál mightn’t even be Taoiseach by the time his turn comes around. Yet, even if we were on schedule, any suggestion that the people running our country be given their jabs first would be shouted down by the masses; Sinn Féin TD’s would most likely draft up contracts explaining why they should be the last people in the world to be vaccinated, and then post said contracts up on social media for everyone to see.
But why should we be so averse to the idea of Micheál and the other 159 members of Dáil Éireann being vaccinated before some other demographics? As much as we like to grumble and complain about their inefficacy, these are the people we elected to run the country, and as such they should be provided with all the tools required to do their job.
Many of you reading this will be aware how difficult it is to work remotely, to perform to the best of your ability while sat at your kitchen table or in the spare room.
Asking a politician, particularly one tasked with making snap-judgements on the welfare of the nation, to operate under the same guidelines is not only unreasonable, it’s potentially dangerous.
You only need to look at the leaked emails sent between Tony Holohan and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to see how information can be misinterpreted, how relations can sour.
Whereas a sarky WhatsApp message to your boss might cause a bit of embarrassment in the following day’s video call, it has far wider repercussions in the, now deserted, corridors of power. You’ll argue there are more needy people out there, the elderly, the infirm, the vulnerable, and it’s hard to go against that logic. But by immunising our leaders there’s a chance we might all receive the vaccine sooner, and on that basis alone, it’s worth bumping them up the list.
This week’s 10 Questions have been answered by our local publican and auctioneer, Michael Scanlon.
1. What do you remember about the place you grew up?
Milking Cows and going to the creamery in the donkey and cart.
2. Which invention from your lifetime are you most amazed by?
The mobile phone.
3. What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in your life?
I’ve always loved the saying that your health is your wealth. 4. Who is your hero?
I had the pleasure to see Munster winning both Heineken Cups. They were fantastic teams.
5. What was the last thing you read?
The Sunday Independent.
6. What was the last TV show you binge-watched?
‘Line of Duty’ although I binge watch repeats of ‘Heartbeat’ also!
7. What’s your favourite quote from a TV show/ movie/ book?
“I rode her mother in Listowel” by Ted Walsh on RTÉ Racing
8. If you could go back to any time in history, where would you go?
Italia ‘90 was a fantastic occasion in the town
9. What is your favourite place in Newmarket?
Newmarket GAA field, I loved playing there and I love watching matches there
10. What is your favourite Newmarket childhood memory?
As a child I loved Show day in Newmarket. Showing animals and winning prizes.