LANDOWNERS in fire “hot spots” will come under increasing scrutiny from security authorities as part of a series of new forestry protection measures.

The new leader of Fianna Fáil will be voted in today in a secret ballot. Seventy-two TDs will vote after the re-admission of Jimmy Devins last night.

The four contenders for the leadership of Fianna Fáil will put their cases for support today.

MICHEÁL MARTIN remains the front-runner to be the next Fianna Fáil leader, with the number of TDs publicly declaring they will support him in tomorrow’s vote now in excess of 20.

SEAFOOD specialists in the south and west have again dominated this year’s Seafood Circle awards.

MICHEÁL MARTIN was first out of the blocks after the Fianna Fáil leadership became vacant — announcing his candidacy for the position and then watching as a steady stream of TDs declared support for him.

An Irish bookmaker has installed today Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny as the red-hot 1/16 favourite to become the next permanent Taoiseach.

PEST controls introduced on Irish salmon farms since 2008 have been effective in keeping maintained lice levels below treatment trigger levels, according to a report.

PEST controls introduced on Irish salmon farms since 2008 have been effective in keeping maintained lice levels below treatment trigger levels, a report has stated.

IRISH fishermen have come away reasonably happy with the quota of fish they can take from the seas next year following negotiations in Brussels.

FISHERMEN received a welcome Christmas bonus with an EU agreement on quotas for 2011 worth €233m to the Irish fishing industry.

The Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) has hailed their "successful defence" of key elements of the industry’s interests in the annual fishing quota negotiations concluded in Brussels last night.

THE Government was last night resisting compromises that would see fishermen getting a quota for some species next year, but in exchange they would have to give them up in 2012.

FISHERIES Minister Sean Connick has denied Ireland ignores the scientific evidence in favour of increasing fish stocks available to the Irish fleet.

RESEARCH and development supports are the missing link in the chain to promote Irish food exports, claims the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society.

NORWAY has agreed to catch fewer fish in Irish waters, but mackerel stocks are under threat due to Iceland’s decision to walk away from talks with the EU.

IRELAND has made some progress in seeking to restrict Irish fish quotas being transferred under this year’s EU-Norway fisheries agreement.

COILLTE has officially opened enhanced forest recreational facilities at Belleek Wood, Ballina, Co Mayo.

A CITY devastated by a huge flood last year is facing a two-year wait for vital flood defences.

TIMBER company Medite has developed an ultra-light medium density fibreboard (MDF) wood product which is set to be launched onto the European market.

OLD fishing nets are to be recycled to create an eco-friendly underwater protection barrier for New Ross Marina, Co Wexford.

IRELAND and Scotland have insisted that the EU stops using their fish quotas in swap deals with Norway, and instead introduce a communal EU fish pool for future trading.

FORESTRY farmers have received approval for 1,500 hectares of new forestry planting for the current autumn planting season.

THEY’RE more used to fighting each other in the Dáil and Seanad but a group of cross-party politicians have found a common goal.

QUOTAS for the country’s most valuable fish, mackerel, could be facing cuts next year instead of being increased because of the actions of Iceland and the Faroe islands.

EARMARKED recipients for €1.75 million in capital grants for seafood processing and aquaculture projects have said that being given six weeks in which to order, purchase and install new equipment is too tight a timeframe.

A DECISION by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to reopen Castlemaine Harbour in Co Kerry for sourcing mussel seed has been welcomed in the area.

Church bells rang out in a quiet Wexford village today to mark the 70th anniversary of a deadly German bomb attack.

AN UNUSUAL harvest in west Cork this winter could help to deliver a multi-million euro industry.

A 15-POINT plan has been put forward to reduce the risk of flooding and related-damage in a high-risk west Cork town.

A RESEARCH project is expected to provide data that will enable the niche Irish seaweed industry to double annual output to €20 million by 2013.

A new memorial garden will be officially opened on Saturday, August 28, in Campile Village, County Wexford to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the bombing of the village.

THE Government has been accused by Fine Gael of sending mixed messages on forestry.

A THREE-year strategy to create 600 jobs and an additional €50 million in value added sales was launched for the Irish seafood industry yesterday.

THE historic role of the Royal Dublin Society in developing Irish forestry was highlighted at Donadea Forest Park, Kilcock, Co Kildare, when details of this year’s national forestry awards were announced.

MINISTERS of State Sean Connick and Ciarán Cuffe have assumed a suite of new statutory powers and duties within the Department of Agriculture.

FEARS have arisen that forestry thinnings will be redirected from Coillte timber processing plants to biomass-powered electricity generating stations because of incentives in that sector.

A PROGRAMME of financial support to assist fishermen upgrade critical life-saving, fire-fighting, and other safety equipment on board their fishing boats was launched in Wexford yesterday.

The families of two men feared drowned when they vanished while fishing were tonight anxiously waiting for news on their loved ones.

GRANT aid totalling€3 million for selected research projects in the forestry sector was announced yesterday by Minister of State Sean Connick.

AGRICULTURE Minister Brendan Smith has expressed support for farmers whose contracts have been terminated by Greencore Malt.

CARBON tax could cost rural households ten times more than it costs urban households, says Irish Rural Link, which represents rural community groups.

AN internal analysis by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the direct impact of the carbon levy on the agriculture sector suggests the average increase in the cost of production across all farms will be some €230 per farm.

I WISH to highlight the alarming news that the Department of Fisheries is considering allowing commercial fishing of bass to resume.