CAVAN constituents would benefit more than most if Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith achieved an extension to the end-of-year deadline for claiming Farm Waste Management Scheme grants.

THE Government was warned yesterday that the €1.5 billion farm construction industry will be brought to an abrupt halt unless flexibility is given to 20,000 farmers to complete environmental work under the waste management scheme.

A WEST Cork man who emigrated to the US and built up a multi-million-dollar business is to be honoured in his native county this weekend.

ILLEGAL quarries and concrete plants across the country are causing major environmental damage and must be closed down, according to the Irish Concrete Federation (ICF).

IRISH homes and all buildings offered for sale or rent will shortly have to come with an energy rating mark, similar to that carried on electrical appliances like washing machines and fridges.

AMID claims heavy loads from quarries are damaging roads in Kerry, quarry owners will have to pay increased levies to Kerry County Council.

THE cost of building a house will increase by thousands if local authorities raise certain service charges, the Irish Concrete Federation (ICF) warned yesterday.

THE Irish Concrete Federation (ICF), which represents the quarry and concrete industries, has in recent weeks taken out full page advertisements in newspapers around the country to highlight the impact of the imposition of local development charges and levies.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday strongly rejected any imputation that a letter sent in his name had interfered in the planning process.