Peter Hughes

Australia has always found a way to bring in people suffering in conflict zones – when it wants to.

Monaghan people have been strongly encouraged to make their voices heard in the coming weeks about the direction of their county’s future development. The members of Monaghan Co Council voted on Monday to send the draft Co Development Plan for 2025-2031 out to public consultation. Public submissions on the document can be made from today (Thursday) until November 14. Cathaoirleach of the Council, Sinn Féin local public representative Cathy Bennett, encouraged the general public to read through the document and determine if there was anything they wanted amended, and to make a submission in relation to this.

Plans for an ambitious new industrial park development along the N2 in Monaghan Town, on what is traditionally known as the “O’Neill’s Farm” lands, were unveiled at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. The 36-acre Annahagh site will house a projected eight industrial units but their number and size can be adjusted to suit the demands of the market, Council members were informed in a briefing by Director of Planning Services Cathal Flynn. Mr Flynn told the meeting that the Council’s intention was to get the approval of the members to advertise for expressions of interest in relation to the development of an industrial park proposal on the N2 in Monaghan Town.

The same level of Local Property Tax that has applied in Co Monaghan in recent years will continue to be levied in 2025 following a decision taken at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council. A nine-eight show of hands vote determined that an LPT varied by +15% on its base rate would again be applied. The Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael members plus Independent Seamus Treanor all indicated their support for the +15% rate. The Sinn Féin councillors put forward a proposal that a zero rate apply. Head of Finance Olga McConnon confirmed to the members that the LPT rate being proposed was the same +15% increase on the base rate that had applied for the last five years.

Marketing is not a ‘shoot-from-the-hip’ activity. It needs expert management, and many farmers are not good at it. But upgrading your skill in this area is crucial to the success of your business, writes Peter Hughes.

GOVERNMENT PARTY COUNCILLORS SEND OUT DEFIANT MESSAGE IN SUPPORT OF “RETAIN ULSTER FINAL” CAMPAIGN

Whether you are a small, medium, or large farmer, you can differentiate your products and your business. Obliterate from your mind the myth that differentiation is only possible for some farmers, says Peter Hughes.

Get ready for a truly dazzling day as Locally Adorned, Perth’s first exclusive jewellery and accessories market, takes over the E Shed Markets in Fremantle on Sunday, 13th October from 10am to 4pm.

South Monaghan local public representatives Noel Keelan (Sinn Féin) and P J O’Hanlon (Fianna Fáil) had a robust verbal joust at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council on the issue of seeking more roads funding for Co Monaghan. A proposal by Councillor Keelan that the Council contact senior Government figures seeking additional money to address the poor condition of parts of the county’s roads network was repudiated by Councillor O’Hanlon on the basis that there was no realistic prospect of a further roads allocation before the end of the year.

You can add value with product differentiation, and it’s possible with every product under the sun. Don’t be discouraged by naysayers, writes Peter Hughes.